The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-19
INDEPENDENTS AND INDEPEN.
DENT JOURNALISM IN NORTH
CAROLINA.

Inc Independent movement Herdiueu
as the dawning OF better day in poll
tical North Carolina, is falling to pieces
have no following worth counting. It's
rise and fall do not mean that there are
no independent voters in North Caro-
lima, though the number is not large of
men who claim no party allegiance. In
truth the men who have the greatest
contempt for what is called the indie
pendent movement, organized in a little
room in a hotel at Greensboro by Re-
publicans masquarading as Independent
Democrats. are the real Independents.
The true independent hates fraud
worse than he hates slavish allegiance
to party. And SO the independent voters
have not been attracted to the move
ment set on foot. The Presbyterian
Standard, discussing the movement in
North Carolina, says:
For ourselves we do not believe that
the present independent movement Will
amount to much, and mainly for want
of intelligent and disinterested leader
ship. We need a higher tone for the
political papers of the South, an I'M
partial and singled-eyed Journalism that
will as little support a favorite candidate
of impure life as denounce an enemy or
unsavory political record
cit takes a higher order of journalism
to be independent than to be partisan.
And a low order of independent journal
ism is worse than the partisan KIND.
Confidence will have to be created by
high stand on all matters OF an ethlcai
nature, local as well as general, before
there will be any large following for
those who appeal to the higher motives
of righteousness"
The movement is led in North Caro-
lima by men who are nursing prejudice
and men who want to be Repuohcans
but lack the moral courage to join that
old hulk of a party, with it's unsaVory
reputation in this State. Their campaign
is Republican annex, conducted on
lines outlined by Republican leaders.
They have named no candidate whose
ability or character can be said to sur
PASS his opponent. They stand for
nothing that makes for anything except
sham and pretended independence. And
therefore they do not attract real indie
pendent voters.
In this age of printers ink every
movement must be voiced by paper
that reaches the people. Public speeches
are good for fire-workers and for stirring
M enthusiasm, but the newspapers do
the real work of educating the voters
The independent movement has been
handicapped by "a low order of indie
pendent iournalism'-a canting, hypocri-
tical, more-holy -thanthou sort when,
while claiming independence is the ex-
ponent truly of the Lily White Repub-
lican partv which Senator Pritchard has
been trying to organize.
The independent journal is the paper
that owns its own soul, has no back
door to its sanctum, permits no dictation'
but courageously advocates the policy its
editor believes right. If he believes that
civic virtue in North Carolina can best
be advanced and moral reforms can best
be secured through the dominant party
in whose principles he sincerely believes,
it will be his high duty to make MS
paper partisan in the best sense OF that
much abused word. II he believes that
civic order in North Carolina can best be
secured through the Republican party,
which has been elevated and dethroned
more than once in North Carolina. 1t
would be his high duty to make his paper
vigorous and answering exponent
of the principles and policies of
| that party. II he is not attached
to the principles of any party and be-
lieves he can do more good by making
| his paper independent in politics, he
pursue that policy. Honest men of all
! parties respect both men and both pa
pers. But the unholy thing that all good
] men despise is the paper that holds itself
out as too good to support party II
stabs in the back and then lends its
| whole weight to supporting unworthy
! men and debasing measures. Those who
appeal to the higher motives of righte-
! business" will have no followers unit
they will "as little support favorite
candidate of impure life as denounce al
enemy Of unsavory political record"