The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-07-08

A Newspaper Dispensary.

state for public men OF a kind to "cuss"
the newspapers. The great majority
Of the people have been taught to be-
Iieve that the newspapers have been
"subsidjzed", that they are in the pay
of the 'money power" Not many
printers and publishers are riding In
automobiles or owning private cars,
but the politician doesn't mind that,
he saSya that the newspapers are sub
sidized," which to all i~ptents, makes
it so. Our most distinguished public
man, Senator Tillman, owes his pro-
motion largely to effective abuse of
the newspapers, especially the Column
bia State and News and Courier. He has
never left a syllable unsaid calculated
to injure those newspapers aud their
editors. They have repaid him by Civ
ing publicity to his utterances, print
ing his speeches continually and spend
ing thousands of dollars in advertising
him. Not long ago the News and Cou-
rier published one Of his speeches that
was as long as the 2lst of June, Ia
strong speech it was though too long
for a man to ready and it must have
cost the paper some hundreds of dol
lars. Other and smaller men thar
Tillman have initiated him, SO that
newspapers have, among many people,
come to be regarded as enemies of So
ciety.
This spirit has been less prevalent
lately than formerly but anon 1t crops
out. Some think it cropped out in the
quiet, perfectly managed and highly
successful shooting Of Mr.. Gonzales,
provided of course that he was not
killed by q man under the impression
that Mr.. Gonzales was about to kill
him.
When o newspaper editor is stroll
ing along the streets with his hands in
his pockets, it should not be forgotten
that he may be loaded with dynamite
sticks with a fuse attached. He may
blow up at any moment, and in the ex-
plosion the bystanders may all be
killed, the surrounding houses flung
down on the heads of their inmates and
a wholesale Pacolet River sort of de-
struction wrought for a couple of hun
drod yards around. A man who thinks
he is in danger from an editor is justi-
fed In shooting quick. 1t is due to his
family to take no chances. South Caro-
lima has had two really great editors,
inen who earned reputation that's were
known across the continent. Both with
in fifteen ycare, have been slaughtered
In one case the exceedingly skillful
slayer %endeavored to bury the body OF
the editor under the floor of his office.
He was tried. 1t was a case of self-de-
fence. So the jury said.
The impression being widespread
that newspapers are dangerous, the
situation of the editors is growing un-
pleasant. We therefore propose a
"Newspaper ~Dispensary." If the news.
papers are rs bad AS the politicians say,
the state would be fully justified in con-
trolling them. The legislature could
enact a law prohibiting the publication
of newspapers except by the state. A
board OF control could be provided in
Columbia with a central newspaper or
gan and snb-newspapers in all the
'" "iVh So'hpy bOaioo vi SOhtIOi'
Perhaps 1t would a v money to let til
liquor dispensary boards run the news
dispensaries also. This would save
money and the liquor shops would get
free Advertising. A principal object of
the liquor %dispensary is to provide the
people with Chemically pure" drinks.
Equally the people might be provided
with Chemically pure" editorial no.
tions and news. "Fuss X" up TO. Az
newspapers, each duly marked with the
great seal of the state, could be sup
piled. True, there would be a few
"blind tiger" papers, such contuma-
clous rebels as Kollock of Darlington,
Waring of Charleston and Major Jim
Bacon of Edgefeid would require Sc
we're handling, but an effective news
paper constabulary would be "the life
of the law" Ed DeCamp Of Gaffney
would doubtless have to be killed lin
self defcnce), by the constables but af-
ter a time all would be serene and beau
tiful. The editorials would be pre-
cisely what the higher and mightier
politicians desired. Any man, nc
matter how shady his record, might
run for office and never be molested.
The South Carolina Newspaper Dis
pensary system would aim to hurt no
body's feelings. Consequently, a re-
tired horse thief or an especially virtu-
Gus fcrger could run for and be elected
TO office without being wibelled" "slan-
dered" and "lied~ upon" by the ''hired
tcribblers of the money power" Un-
d~ouDtedly, great and good men even
now are being prosecuted by the South
Carolina newspapers. This would be
stopped The system, moreover, would
make money. There would be no more
delinquent subscribers. People would
pay cash for their papers, just as they
do for their whiskey. The services OF
fuss x" editors could be had for q
small sum and others in proportion.
Most of the editorial ideas would be
supplied by the state board of control
anyhow. Clearly the scheme would be
within the ''police power" of the con-
stitution, for its object would be 70
abate the existing newspaper nui-
sances. Nor would any invasion of the