The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-03
IitfIe Less Criticism.


advice upon the general assembly.
Indeed. one editor has moved To- Columbia,
temporarily, so as 10 enable the journal
which he represents, with the greater celerlty,
to show the members the way In which they
should go.
We think that the press it actuated by the
highest and most patriotic motives in dcluS-
ing the general assembly with advice. ont.
state will make IN iStake If the editors coal
tinue TO devote as much space as lhey are
now doing TO the instruction or the new
members rs TO how they should conduct
themselves.
The present set Of lawmakers will make
laws for TWO sessions, ana then me pro-
ple will pass upon their work ana decide
whether ii is satisfactory or not. Mean~hlle
If the Democracy had desired to secure the
benefit of the wisdom, unQucStionaDly TO be
found in the ranks OF tue eGil0rs OF tiils st"tS
they could have selected and elected them 10
serve as Senators and Representatives.
Inasmuch. however, as they did not, the
press can afford TO treat the matter with calm
ness. 49,, .
Eycitedly written articles, likening the
general assembly to all manner of fearful and
prutenti0us creatures, DO no SoOu ana posi-
bly, some harm.
bucketful has been daily poured out. The re-
suit is an administration with very distinct
OpiniOn of his own. andn very positive IDEA
OF how that opinion is TO he formulated INTO
law.
Let us not criticize too freely what the leg
islaturc is expected TO do; rather let us re-
serve our fight TO criticize what 1t does do un-
I'll IL is done.-CharlcSton World.
If our memory serves us correctly the
World has given the above sentiment repeat
I'd insertion.
We think the press o f the state has notbccn
obtrusive or proluse with its advice, but SUP
pose it had offered advice, they had perfect
right to do SO.
Admit that Mr.. Tilman has had buckets
full Of advice poured out to him. Did he not
recently cover the state officers with bucket
fall after bucket full o f the vileSt slush that
was ever poured out on anybody?
1t would now seem that the World thinks
that those oi us who did not throw up our
hats for Mr.. TilIman during the campaign
should now be denied the dearest right OF
the American citizen-thc right OF free
speech.
1t would also seem that the Charleston
World Is terribly afraid Of the least approach
TO the methods and manners which charac-
terizcd Mr.. TilIman's campaign. In so far as
the World may be seeking to raise our stand
ards higher than those OF the campaign the
World is entirely right.
We thoroughly agree with The World in the
opinion that the element whom thnt organ
would ostracise and prescribe and deny the
right Of free speech, should have higher
standards than have prevailed.
But if the World seeks 10 bulldoze us, while
ordering us to hush and keep silence before
dertakcn Il big job.
While we are not surprised that the World,
Mr.. Tillman, and the gentlemen composing
the General Assembly may have wished In
their hearts that the newspapers might keep
silence when they commit errors, and while
they might reasonably hope to escape crti.
cism,. yet we are surprised that anybody
,hould say so In print
Speaking for the Press and Banner, we ex
pect to do in the future, as we have done In
the past-to criticize and talk about the Cen
eral Assembly, the Governor, and other OF:
scals who moy attract our attention.
II is, we believe, the first time in the his
tory Of the State that an attempt has been
made against the right of the vanqulshed
faction to freedom Of speech, and we hope II
will be the last.
This revolution, which gave the World ex
sstcnce, seems fond o. boycotts, and 1t seems
to us that the World would like to have q law
enacted by public sentiment which would
terribly punish any man for opening his
mouth in reference to our new lords and
masters, or of even their servle minions.
The World would monopolse to Itself and
It's band Of followers all freedom Of speech
and all right to criticlse public official
while ordering the balance Of us TO sit down
Presumably, Mr.. Tillman will be Governor
of all the people OF the State. If SO, he is our
Governor If he Is our Governor, we have
the right to speak o his official acts. If he Is
not our Governor-but our ruler and tyrant-
then we will speak out anyhow.
We hope to bc fair and just TO both the Leg
lsuture and the State officials.
We must try TO judge their acts on their
merits, AMI award the just praise or mcte
out the deserved censure, without any refer
ence to the claims of the World TO exclusive
rights.
OF all the acts OF the recent past this
attempt to bulldoze the press of the State into
silence, is perhaps not only the most often.
sive, but the most direct, though feeble, stab
at the freedom OF the American citizen.
If the World, the Legislature, the Governor
and others would escape criticise they must
do the right.
The members Of the press of this State are
still freemen, however, much the World may
seek to create public sentiment against us
and in favor Of that despotsm which would
muzzle tho press and suppress free speech.
LET il bc instiled into tho hearts Of your
children that the liberty OF the press is the
palladium Of all your rights"
Despots anu tyrants, corruptlonists and
usurpcrs have. in all ages, feared the power
OF the press, but, except in the World, we have
seen no intimation that Mr.. Tillman is
afraid.
If the General Assembly and Mr.. Tlllman
act honesty and for the good Of the whole pco
pie, as we have no doubt they will do. they
have nothing 10 fear from the press, and we
believe he and they fear nothing.
The extreme anxiety of the World, and the
figure which il is making OF itself in this re-
spect, must DO without Mr.. Tillman's sane
ton.
Shooting on the Public Streets.
We believe there is q law on the Statutes
books against carrying deadly weapons, and