The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-14

when that memorable Era of MiSrule
was ended it turned its hand gladly
| to the work of political restoration and
material development of the State.
1t carried the brunt of the fight for
adoption of an educational suffrage
qualification by which the ignorant
negro vote could be eliminated, and
since that has been accomplished it
has preached in season and out of sea-
son the Importance of education for
all classes and conditions of our peo-
pie 1t led in the fight for temperance
and the result has been the closing of
nearly every grog-shop in the State by
virtue of local option elections.
Almost single-handed and alone it
prevented the sacrifice of the Atlantic
and North Carolina Railroad to adven-
turers who sought to circumvent the
Governors opposition to them by re-
sort to the Federal Courts
The history of these things are fresh
III the minds of the people and l
simply recall them here as among the
notable achievements of the paper
during the past decade. There are
other OF its achievements that / might
recall. Also there are battles that
were lost-but brilliantly fought. So
brilliant, in fact, that even now they
stand out as shining days which linger
especially in memory, made luminous
by enthuSiasms that were shared alike
by every one in the office from editor
to devil.
But these things cannot be set down
i'm the column space to which / am
limited Memory is a precious guide
into the realms of the past, but il you
would go with il YOU must let it choose
it's own line of travel and loiter in it's
pleasant places at it's own sweet will.
1t leads into rich fields, but yields not
Its gems to the measurement of column
rules. Hence l must content myself
here with a mere recital of some OF
the well-marked events in the paper
history.
It's achievements in the news field
have been little less notable than those
in politics and legislation. The mod
ern newspapers editorial influence Is
in a large measure dependent upon It's
value as II news gatherer. 1t is the
function, the raison d'etre of the news
paper to select and summarize and
make readable. The news of every
day is now so varied and enormous
that its newspaper treatment in proper
proportion and with SkiIful choice and
comment is the art upon which the
success and prosperity of the paper de-
pend Mr.. Theirs called it the worlds
history of day. Recognizing the
truth of the definition, the manage
ment of The News and Observer have
spent enormous sums of money trying
to live up to it by collecting news while
it is news and properly presenting il
to its readers.
Each morning the dispatches in the
modern newspaper bring the reader
face to face with the worlds happen
ings of the day before. It's stories OF
passion or heroism excite his anger
or win his admiration. Those of adj
venture awaken his spirit of enter
prise. But it is to the editorial page
that sooner or later every reader turns
for the conclusion of the whole mat
ter" so dear to the heart of the
Preacher For preacher is there
and in the case Of The News and OBJ
server, a preacher in the best sense OF
ithe word. His sermons are not pitch
ed always on a key of solemnity. More
frequently, perhaps, there is vein of
humor or a spirit of levity running
through them. But beneath them all
there is earnestness of purpose and in
the background there is travail.
Though he is found with the tOilers,
his face is ever toward the sunrise
and his appeal is to the inmost sources
of manhood. He finds for us courage
in the heart and touches the source of
things. In this, L should say, more
than in any other one thing, is found
the secret of the influence and growth
of The News and Observer: The peo-
pie have confidence in the sincerity of
Its editor and faith in the wisdom of
his counsel. For them through these
ten years his admirable talent has il
Illuminated with fresh significance a
vast range of topics that We're of inter-
est to them and on which they had
ineed of definite conclusions
These are some of the impressions
/ that my ten years on The News and
Observer have made on me, and | re-
81. y1Irr H. 49,.
interest and value to the reader than
a recital of my own experiences
The limit of space for my story has
been reached. In apology for the
Iabominable dose of talking about ones
self that it contains, L must say that
it was by no desire OF mine that it
has been written.
AS / look back over the well-nigh
ten years of my connection with The
News and Observer, 1 am struck with
this-the essential persistence of q
| spirit of progress in the South in spite
1 of political or social change. Almost
| every physical aspect of the country
| has been transformed within even my
memory-and for the better. Towns
have arisen, railroads have been built
| and the whirr of factories may be
heard where once there was silence if
mot desolation. Political revolution
has CT me and gone, creeds have van
ished and systems have been supplant-
| ed, but the vital essence of things re-
mains. knowledge has increased, the
| spiritual life has been nourished, and
| everywhere it has been growth and not
| destruction.
| In this work there has be more
| influential factor than t. I'm
| doubtedly the newspap> the
| most powerful force of ill
| zation. Like the philoso, es
| all knowledge for it's prov.
| sure, it has it's defects bl
many virtues we can forgh
vices. AS it brings to it's task
| energy, unboundad resource, i.
| intelligence and ST st inventive
| prise, the neWspa 90 must gre
| power and influence 18th the Gevt
| ment of our civiliza ion.
FRED G.. MERRITT.
| Washington, ID. c., Aug. II, 1904.