The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-08

ABOUT TWO weeks ago the blpucal he
corder contained as its leader, on front
page, long and tiresome article by an
anonymous correspondent living outside of
the State, berating his mother State upon
his unsupported statement that freedom
Of thought and speech are not permitted
III this good old commonwealth.
who is this man that SANDERS his old
mother? The people have right to know
a Wake Forest graduate said yesterday
that he entertained a suspicion that II
| the name of the writer had been printed
below his article it would not have carried
any weight. However that may be, we
| have little curiosity to know the name
| of the man born in North Carolina who
writes so unfounded and so vicious an ar
ticle about the people of the State that
gave him birth. At the Reunion in
Greensboro, Rev. DR.. Walter W. Moore
made statement that fits him: Il would
prefer the acquaintance of Benedict Ar
mold"
| Mr. Archibald johnson, editor of Chart
ty and Children, the organ OF the Baptist
| Orphanage, makes a brief and crushing
reply to the anonymous screed, leaving
nothing further to be said He wrote:
THE CURSE OF CURSES
Charity and Children.
In the Biblical Recorder Of last week
1 in1a
title by a namelcss writer who has the
very best of reasons for being ashamed to
sign his name. In all our reading we do
net recall anything quite so self-concelted
as this diatribe against his native State
by one who has left her.
He went away because he could not
think. He made a mistake in going. He
has a better reason for not being able to
think than the atmosphere Of the Old
North State" The man needs a new head
rather than a new State. We dare say
he hasn't set the woods on fire where lie
now resides.
This gable about people not being al
lowed to think in North Carolina is weari-
some IT is not new at all. Every man
who leaves North Carolina because his
shining talents are not properly appreciat-
ed sets up this complaint; but we OBJ
serve that the people to whom he goes
also fail to bow down before him. One
OF the broadcast and biggest men North
Carolina has produced is Rev. A. c. Dixon,
Of Boston. But he did not leave the
State because the atmosphere was TOO de
pressing for his thinker; he left because
he saw an opportunity OF reaching more
people and doing larger work; but not
long ago he told the writer with his own
lips that he sometimes regretted that he
left the church in Asheville of which he
was the beloved pastor
DR.. Alderman left US for some reason
or other. Perhaps the atmosphere was
not to his liking, but Dr. McIver remain
ed and appears to be thinking about as
straight as Alderman, and to a good deal
better purpose. In the educational field
it will hardly be seriously argued that the
Tulane president has outstripped the
Greensboro man.
The editor of the Recorder is one of the
brightest sons Of the State at home or
abroad. He is accused of being an indie
pendent thinker, too, regardless of the
density OF the atmosphere. Let us see
how he is being "crucified.' He has about
ten thousand subscribers to his paper, and
In property value Recorder stock ranks
higher than any other weekly in the
State The readers of the paper do not
always agree with the editor, but they
know his heart is right and they are not
throwing any "blighting influence" around
him. He is not encountering "Calvaries"
at all but appears to be walking in the
new garden already
Do you suppose old Andy Johnson
reached the presidency because he lett
North Carolina? What a blessing they
carried old Hickory across the line before
the atmosphere got him.
Is there a stronger Governor in the
country today than Charles B. Aycock
If So name him. Is there anything the
matter with Aycock's thinking machine
Perhaps the atmosphere down in Wayne
is lighter than in other sections; or per.
haps he would have turned the world up.
side down if he had only left the State in
time.
Such drcary dlivel as this Recorder
screed would be amusing if it were not
so contemplate. If man feels bound
TO leave the State why not hold his tongue
until he becomes somebody worth while
in his new surroundings? For this reason:
A man who has in him the elements Of
greatness would never stoop to a thing
like this. We are proud that North Car
DINA has furnished some big men for
other States but not one Of them ever
|sIandered his old mother.
Dr. Alderman left North Carolina for the
same reason that Rev. A. c. Dixon made
his home in great city. He did
great work here. His heart is loyal to his
home-State and he never fails to respond
to any call it makes upon him. He loves
the air. the soil, the mountains, the sea
Of all North Carolina. He feels that to
her he owes all that he is. He would
cut out his tongue before he would utter
word disloyal TO the State. The speech
he made at the Reunion in Greensboro
breathed the right spirit and is in strik-
ing contrast with the article in the Bib
Ilical Recorder. We quote from that mag
lnifcent speech:
1.-The words that 1 am about to speak
today shall be few in number, and simple
ones of gratitude and affection and