The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-07-15

For behind all theory and back of
all ideals and beyond all editorial
pages stands the MAN. The man is
the basic fact. He must be brave.
! He must be broad He must be I'M
selfish. He must love humanity.
| He must love the truth. He must
concentrate his aims. He must meas
ure his heart beats in equal pulse with
| his brain throbs, and he must be
| ready always to subordinate the sell
| fish purpose to the human end of
service and to the welfare OF the state
Such a man il. private station would
be great and influential Equip such
manhood and such character with the
vast machinery of the press and the
world about him must recognize the
master, the benefactor and the king
Pulse the press of the world with
unfailing TRUTH and the press be-
comes omnipotent.
Let me say then, very briefly, just
two things: I believe the great edi-
tor in all representative governments
will reach his full development whe.l
he lays down forever the habit and
the. hope of holding office. No great
editor should be an aspirant for per-
sonal preferment at the peoples
hands. He is teacher and leader
He is a teller of truth, and he cam
not be fair and free and fearless in
these high lines if he is dependent tip
on popular opinion or an applicant
for popular approval He will in
evitably follow the tides Of the op-
inion which he should direct. He will
inevitably truckle as the politician to
the prejudices which as an editor it
is his duty to dispel. He is greater in
station and in influence than an Office
holder. He does not need Office to
dignity him, and he undignihes his
own high station when he alloys with
the suspicion of selfish interest the
pure gold of his righteous advocates
or the distinterested force OF his ed
itorial pleas.
The wings Of the American press
are weighted today with the leaden
desire which holds it from the higher
air of truth The state should shut
out temptation from station SO lofty
and responsibility so ample and so
sacred as the press.
Nor do I believe that political or
other conviction justihes bitter and
unreasoning partisanship.
Narrowness. intolerance. bitterness,
injustice and character-wrecking. are
unworthy of the greatness and the
power of the American press. and un-
worthy of the press OF the world.
1t is one OF the better things of the
coming day-one of the better things
that these press parliaments must
bring-that the press shall be faith
full without being fierce. loyal without
lying. true, to its friends. just to its
enemies. and as fearlessly fair as it
shall be splendidly free.
Mr.. President, all the problems Of
the world must yield to the influence
OF press pitched upon the plane of
these high, but simple and practical
ideals. When the central power OF
the world is fair and honest and truth
ful and kind. we have at once the tri-
bunal and the advocates by which the
universal issues may be we'll and no.
bly, tried. In the high court of pub
lie opinion made. by such voices and
such authority, all the creeds and
struggles of humanity may approach
their healing and solution.
Here political parties may pitch
their battles on noDler plane and
measure principles without personall-
ties in the scale OF the peoples high
intelligence.
Here labor and capital may lay
their many wranglings down in the
kindness of concession and in the
craftsmanship OF compromise.
Here faith may have its innings