The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-06-12
Libel on the Press of the State.

LlDcI OIL the EtSS Vi
The Sumter Watchman and Southron gives
utterance to the following:
Senator McLaurin says that newspaper
notoriety Is nauseatipg to him. he must
have a fondness for nausea for no public man
In the state has gone TO greater lengths to Sc.
cure newspaper notOriety, In season ana out
Of season than this same John l!owndes NC
Laurin. 1t Is even said that he has ialu out
much hard cash to retain the services OF q
certain type OF editors, whom he once nkened
to "dog meat, purchasable at so much
pound.'
When man utters charges Of venality or
corruption on the part Of the press OF South
Carolina we believe he Gays that which he
himself does not believe.
II the South Carolina press has been dis
tinguished for one thing more than another,
it is for It's incorruptibility. The individual
members may be weak; they may have no
opinions OF their own they may be willing
10 echo the sen ntiments Of somebody else /;
they may be misguided and may see things in
aswropg light; they may lack culture; they
may lack an observance of the amenities; they
may have the wrong politics, but after more
or less association, and more or less acquain-
tance, with The press OF this State, for forty
years, we have never known brother editor
10 56ll plihSlpiO ioi AAohOSb ode wv
have seldom or never, suspected brother
editor Of bartering his editorial conduct IN
political matters.
or one thing We are certain. There are not
q more honest set Of men on earth than the
editors Of South Carolina.
In this we would not be understood as en-
dorsing or approving much that many Of
them do. At times some individual editors
refuse 10 preserve their own respect in not re-
specting others. Some have one fault and
some have another, but no man who Is famil-
lar with the conduct OF the editors Of this
State would charge the members of any fac
ton or political faith, with fixing price on
its editorial conduct
We would not apply epithets to any broth
er's utterance. but We would suggest that our
contemporary, the Sumter Watchman and
Southron, reflect a moment before making
such unfounded charges against the brethren.
The resort to charges against the honesty OF
the brethren might be characterized by often
sive epithets. The newspapers which are
supporting McLaurin true progressive Demo.
cracy who have borne considerable from
their anti McLaurin brethren. and
as far as we have noticed. such offensive para
graphs have passed unnoticed by them.
Men of ability need not be offensive. Those
who cannot give reason for the faith that Is
in them may sometimes be forced to ill-man-
ners, but they need not make imputations
against men who are, to say the least, as good
as they are.
AS rule the old and long established news
papers are not anti.McLaurin men. For in.
stance: What anti-McLaurin paper would
claim TO be abler, or have better right to
speak for South Carolina, than such papers
as
The Bamberg Herald,
The Newberry Observer.
The Manning Times,
The Carolina Spartan,
The Keowee Courier?
When anti-McLaurin newspapers Invite
comparison, they may place themselves at a
disadvantage before fair and discriminating
public.
The Press and Banner would suggest
TO some of the brethren Put
q little less rudeness and little more
cvility in your utterances. Put at least
'scintilla of brains and fact In your editorials
and avoid the mistake OF supposing that the
exhibition OF temper and the showing OF dis
respect for your brethren can be passed on Tor
gentility, reason or common sense.
The day for making false charges by news
papers, should end with the passing OF the
bully In politics.