The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-11-18


friends, in broad open day light. The
Republicans did not do it for they
"knew not what did, We were
stricken full in the face by friends,
not so much in anger as by way of
correction. We will be all right, hale
and hearty in 1888.
The following editorial remarks ON
the above, expresses so near our own
sentiments that we refrain from max
ing any further comment. It is clip,
ped from the Asheville Citizen and is
doubtless from the scholarly pen of
Col. JOHN B. CAMERON, who has
grown grey in honorable support OF
the true Democracy. He says:
While there may be much that is
just in the above, yet it is hardly fair
to the democratic press as a whole.
With but few exceptions no class of
the Democratic party is SO true and
faithful, in season and out, as the edi-
tors of Democratic papers. While
very many gentlemen give some time
to political matters before conventions
many of them are candidates for of
fee, and if the local papers fail to
urge their claims they give the papers
the cold shoulder if not open opposi-
ton; while when such papers do give
preference to some candidate, which
none should ever do as between Dem
ocrats. all others make open warfare
upon them. The papers are expected
to bear all sorts of party burdens, in
fact are called upon for such, yet,
party men take but little interest in
furthering the interests and opportun-
tiles for greater usefulness of the pa
pers. Papers, or rather the editor,
are expected to take very subordinate
positions in party affairs, not in way
of offices, for but few of them ever
want Office and just to the extent a
paper refuses to become a personal
organ of some leader or would-be
leaders Just so much all such ignore
it. If Democrats would, generally
show more interest in furthering the
success Of their papers and in doing
so make them democratic papers and
not expect them to run in some mans
interest or in the interest Of some
party clique, the papers would be
more useful and more influential.
A two or five dollar subscription is
not all the aid party men and party
and aspirants can give paper.
General support by way Of kind words
influence for patronage and efforts
will stimulate many faithful, hard
working Democratic editor. Let
party men do more, not by gifts or
subsidies but by such legitimate eff
forts as we have suggested to help
build up their true Democratic papers
and we dare say none, but very few
at least, will fail to prove worthy of
such and will no longer be obnoxious
to the criticisms such as Mr.. Watson
makes.
The Citizen in its issue of. the day
following returns to the subject and
continues:
In our last issue we had some obser-
vations upon the relations in which
politicians placed themselves towards
the press, and also the relations in
which the press placed itself to party.
The first seem to claim a fee simple
right in the property to demand the
use of it for their special advantage,
and take in high dudgeon any of the
gans. And these latter, in their zeal
for the cause, have lost sight almost
entirely Of their business claims, and
generously and zealously perform
work that represents a livelihood, to
be rebuked if their party fail in its OBJ
jects, to be forgotten in its successes,
or meagealy rewarded with such
crumbs as are not worth the consider
alton of the politician.
AS with the politician so with the
public. They regard the newspaper
as the free exponent of the public
voice, the expressive instrument Of
public sentiment, OF public wants and
of public complaint. 1t looks very
simple, the few lines that may be de-
voted to any one topic, and unreason-
able that these few lines should be
charged for, or when pay is made, they
are entitled to large gratuitous addi-
ton. Now the newspaper business is
as substantial and well defined one
as any other, requiring the capital of
brain, industry, time, labor, material
rents, &C., all Of which come suggest
lively into play on pay day when cash
alone can meet the demands
The opinions of so eminent an
authority as Judge Davis should i'm
press itself on every community. In
his view the newspaper is necessity,
an essential to the prosperity of the
town or city in which it is printed.
We are very certain the impulse given
to the prosperity of Asheville and
Western North Carolina is very
largely attributed to the press of this