The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-03-15
THE BOYCOTT.

1t Can no Longer Suppress Honesty
of Speech, nor ImtInidate Indi-
yidual ManhOod-White Men Cease
70 Wear COIIars-Newspapers Must
stand OH Their Own Merits.
4 Populist paper in Kansas claiming to rep.
resent the inner circle" urges Alliancemen
To BOYCOTT the National Economist on the
ground that 1t "haS gone over to the Demo
Gratis" and Is "knifing the reform movement"
These charges the Economist most vigorously
denies.
4 II, wspaper In the eastern section of this
Stat com plains that some subscribers have
boycotted 1t because they did not agree with
That is nothing to worry about We long
ago got SO accustomed TO that sort Of thing
that it now gives us no concern whatever.
We want all the subscribers we can get and
this lsfour means Uf making living; but We
would 20 In rags and live ON corn bread and
well water before we would suppress or dis
guise an opinion on any public matter. When
one reaches that point, the threat Of boycott
has no further terrUrs.
1t gives us much pleasure though, TO believe
that the boycott Is fast falling into disrepute,
and that the feeling OF Individual manhood Is
asserting itself. The time is fast coming
when there will be very few white men wear
ing leaders labels and when men and meas
ures and newspapers will have to stand on
their own merits.
The above article Is taken from the New
berry Observer of last week, and includes SEN
timeu Is which must be Ell dorsed by every free
born white man who reads II. The day for
putting collars on white men has passed. and
the time for making combinations against
newspaper because OF honesty Of expression
of opinion does not now exist
The boycot was about the most foolish and
Intellectual way OF seeking TO destroy news
paper.
the act brought substantial support TO the
n,an or tue newspaper who refused TO be bull
dozed into sacrificing principle or honor for
tie sake Of the hurrah from the crowd.
II our contemporary, The Newberry Oo.
server, will look around and examine its ex-
change list, IT. will lee that no boycotted pa
per, which stot,d 10 It's onvictions, has heen
hurt. II is apparent, too, that those newspa.
pers which sought 70 please the crowd are not
more prosperous than those who have con-
scientiously discharged their duty to the pub
lie.
The boycot, has In some cases. worked won
ders for the would.be victims Of people who
do not subscribe for newspapers. Take, for
instance. the Atlanta Evening Journal.
the boycott and the unflinchiDg
manner in which 1t stood for principle, that
newspaper II " day one OF the best paying pa
pers in this section Of the country, and per-
maps because OF its outspoken defense Of the
Democratic party, and its vigorous warfare
on The Third party, Mr.. Smith has been ap-
pointed to one OF the best places In Cleve-
lands cabinet.
Where has any milk and water concern, or
any demoralizer OF the people, brought his pa
per to the standard Of prosperity attained o.
the Atlanta Journal? and where has any edi-
tor OF uncertain principles been rewarded
wit b such honOrs?
Poliliciaus may gain places by appeals TO
the prejudices OF the people, but the newspa-
per that does that will not make the best sue
ceSs.
The fact Is, that newspaper must do as our
suggests, depend upon Its mer-
It's. A politician may be ruined by making
warfare upon him, but no newspaper, which
is worthy Of the name, can be hurt by Its enc
mics. AS tar as our Information goes, the bis
tory OF Journalism In South Carolina does not
furnish IN instance where any newspaper has
been injured by the bOycot or killed oy any
warfare which has been made upon II. The
pub sense OF right and wrong revolts at the
boycott and despises the act whereby one COM
pelItor seeks TO destroy another. In one case
The individual citizen asserts his manhood,
and In the other his love OF fair play.-togeth.
er with The Inbred Idea that the public IL bet
Ter served In cases OF ompetltion-discounte-
nances the act OF iujuring one who is strug.
Cling 10 make living BY honest toll