Middletown transcript., 1895-06-01
THE FIRST RESPONSE.

EDITOR TRANsCRIPT:-1n your editorial
ON 1.-THE country paper and politics, -
in last weeks issue, you open a
very interesting question, and, since you
so generously offer your columns for its
discussion take pleasure in availing my
self OF the opportunity afforded. 1wonder,
in the first place, who are the ''score or
more" of your readers who are so ready to
recommend more worthy and creditable"
channels than the "mire" of politics for
the flow of your editorial thought and
ink, and if this same 'mire" would not be
called by some other name if the politics
discussed was the same at that of the afore-
said score or more readers.
have been reader of the TRANSCRIPT
ever since its beginning, over q years ago,
and know the paper well, and look upon
| it as an old friend. 1t has always been a
bright, clean paper, and during the reign
of the "bald-headed editor" it was gener-
ally conceded to be the model paper of the
peninsula. But it was always a political
paper, and as strongly partisan as it is to-
day, so that lis no new thing for its read
ers to find strong political sentiments ex-
pressed in its columns, the only difference
is i'll the sentiments. After quarter of a
century's devotion to the principles of
Democracy, two years ago, as you know
the TRANSCRIPT changed its political COM
plexion and became an exponent of Re-
publican doctrine: Some of its readers
had never before read any but Democrat
papers, and though l presume they still
read the TRANSCRIPT because of its excel
lence as a local paper, they regard its edi-
torial teachings as the worst of political
heresy. But am sure these people are a
small portion of the community and l
prefer to think that but few of your read
ers are so narrow as to be unwilling to
read both sides of every question. And so
hope that you will not, by attempting to
satisfy the few, deprive the many of the
logical and lucid political discussions that
columns; and in reply to your query shall
the country weekly be political paper"
I for one, say yes. We need more editors
like yourself, who are able, not only to
give political opinions but also facts.
The people need to know things. You
may hardly credit it, but it is true, that a
great many old voters in both parties
could not give the simple statement as to
the composition or formation of the State
Legislature until few weeks ago when
they read it in the TRANSCRIPT. The Con-
stitution of the United States is taught in
the schools, but SO far as l know, the Con-
stitution of Delaware is not in the curricu-
lum of any school in the land, and how
are the people to know what it provides or
requires, unless somebody tells them. There
are many people VINO honestly desire to
form an intelligent and correct opinion on
political, as well as other topics, but have
not the time to devote to research, and they
depend upon what the editor says. 1t is
his business to know and state the truth, and
if he is jealous and studious man, what
he says stimulates thought and inspires
confidence. The political opinion of
newspaper however, has weight, not so
much because it gives the editors opinion,
but because it expresses the best sentiment
of the community or the party it repre-
sents, and it is for this that l especially
value the TRANSCRIPT
hope you will continue to counsel and
instruct the people; write freely and vigor-
ously, aye, violently if need be, and be-
ware of the syren voice that bids you
write pretty things, pleasant things, to
tickle the ears of your readers. I haye al
ways been an interested reader of weekly
papers. and beside the TRANSCRIPT l take |
several other state papers, but yours is de- |
cidedly the best of the lot. And further |
more, with all Difference to you several |
viewing it as l do through |
impartial eyes, the TRANSCRIPT is by far a |
better paper to-day than it ever was, and |
IS political and moral force in the COM
nunity, its worth is only beginning to be |
CONSTANT READER.