The news & observer., 1903-12-27
..JvVS
.aving Of Politician
Who Cannot Answer
Paper He'd Destroy
We bster's Weekly.

Webster's Weekly.
The spectacle of Bro. William Josaf
Bailey and Bro. Joseph Pearson Caldwell
lying peacefully tucked away in tn,
same little trundle bed has come to pas:
in this third year of the twentieth cen
trry. Verify we are living in an age OF
wonders.
One can scarcely pick up a paper these
Gays without reading about some profes
sor at Trinity having discovered somt
new principle in sociology, political
economy, negro-oiogy or something of the
sort. 1t is getting dangerous for mar
to draw long breath lest he disturb "a
hen on the nest" or transgress the 'illim
liable freedom" of the brethren to hatch
cut new isms.
Time was, not so long ago, when the
Charlotte Observer dared to warn the
great Baptist denomination in North Car
olina that it could not afford to follow
impractical and visionary leaders in their
onslaught upon the University, the Normal
and Industrial College and the A. and VI
College. 1t said in a ringing editorial
while the Baptist State Convention was
in session in that city in 1894;
No church can afford to take a
position in opposition to higher public
education, especially in a State whose
greatest need is education. Such OPP
position cannot possibly succeed in
the long run. 1t may obstruet, hinder
and cripple, but it cannot destroy the
States institutions for higher educa-
ton. No intelligent man will believe
for moment that North Carolina is
going to stand alone among the
forty-four states of the union without
a university, a normal school or an
agricultural and mechanical college.
No man of generous impulses who
wishes his State well, can for a mo-
ment, desire such a pitiful and dis
graceful condition, etc.
Notwithstanding this broadside was con-
strued as unfriendly and a committee was
appointed to wait on the editor, the
Observer, though disclaiming any irken,
ton of being offensive, held to it's opin-
ion. Later, when Mr.. William Josiah
Bailey referred to an article in defense
of the State schools as being ION it's
creased rounds the Observer, which had
published it, repelled the base insinuation
III HDSudSe more lOTCIDle lUau 0leSdul
the ''lie" figuring therein.
Now we find the Observer being made
the vehicle for a most demagogical ap-
peal to UNCONVENTIONAL prejudice by the
same Josiah William Bailey, who seeks
to infiame Baptists and Methodists against
the News and Observer. Mr.. Bailey
charges the News and Observer with a
purpose of hectoring the churches; of die
tsting to them whom they shall have as
college presidents, professors and past
ors He grows hysterical in trying 10
draw a picture of church being reduced
to the necessity of consulting that paper
before calling pastor, to see whether
it will let him discharge his sacred du-
ties in peace The News and Observer
has hectored the Democratic party, he
says. and driven ''some OF the best men
in the commonwealth out of the party's
councils" and now it essays to boss the
churches. 1t is a grave danger. he says.
'In the presence of these facts all other
questions assume a minor character, ;
says w. Josiah Bailey to j. Pearson Cald-
we'll And yet in the same frantic out
burst we find this thought: ''The News
and Observer has by no means so much
influence as it claims. Only the rank
partisans give it blind allegiance
The article is simply the raving of q
politician who cannot answer the argu-
ments of the paper that he would destroy.
Smarting under the merciless exposure
the News and Observer made of his at
tempt to preach Republicanism through
church paper three years ago, he would
array church prejudice against that fear
less journal, to whose vigilance and faith
fulness the people owe so much. 1t is
not the first time he has sought to des-
troy the influence of Democratic news
papers. His course in 1899 was such as
to draw from the leading Baptist min
lister in North Carolina, DR.. ]. D. Huf-
ham, a spirited rebuke. We will quote
from Dr. Hufham's ringing article:
And first, the fippant character
ization of the political newspapers as
''the partisan press" and the intima-
tion that the statements concerning
the iniquities practiced in the State
prisons are made for political effect,
and therefore are unworthy of belief,
are not in harmony with the dignity
and courtesy of a great religious jour-
nal it is also lacking in the sense OF
Justice which should always charac-
terize the editor of religious perio-
dical Two of these partisan presses
are sued in the courts for libel, and
heavy damages will be claimed. Is
it fair in the Recorder thus to dis
credit a brother journalist so far as it
cen and weaken his case while the
suit is pending? Against this l protest.
] saw once more that this hlppant
and sweeping intimation concerning
the political newspapers are not in
harmony with the dignity and cour-
tesy of the organ of a great religious
denomination.
DR.. Hufham in this article said the
DC opIe owed much to the exposures which
MIR. Bailey characterized as partisan.
Kilgo and Bassett are not the Metho-
dist church by whole lot, nor are Bailey
and Massee the Baptist denomination.
Their denominational connection cannot
serve as a cover for them to preach dan.
gerous doctrines that affect all the people
of the State, however much they may
desire to use the garb of religion to serve
Mark Hanna If the Rev. Mr.. Massee
desires to turn aside from the preaching
of the gospel to utter lnfiammatory
things concerning the SoHths treatment
of the negro. sentiments calculated to