The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-13
Needs Protection from Friends.

Needs Protection from Friends.
Expressing very great respect for those
who differ in opinion from us, and with the
perfect knowledge that we may have all the
walls of wrath opened over our head, we
venture to suggest to our neighbors Of Green
wood, that IT may be possible for newspaper
writers, or editors or grand juries to do
great injustice TO their own community by
parading before the public the exceptional
cases OF sin, immortality or violations oflaw.
Speaking for the Press and Banner, we have
no interest in this matter at all except our
regret that the faults, the foibles, or the sins,
OF good community should be so often
held up to public notice. Even If we do not
hide the fault we see. 1t is sometimes right to
be little blind as well as little deaf
Are there not honest men and good
women about Greenwood worthy OF notice
Ifso, why not let us hear something Of them,
and less about liquor and blind tigers and
gambling and immortality?
Are there no churches, no preachers, no
godly men and women working for the up.
lifting Of the community? II so, why not
make mention Of the fact occasionally and
give less conspicuous space to the details OF
the evil which is done.
Are there not men in Greenwood who are
living honorable and honest lives? II so,
why not let US hear something Of them, and
less OF those whose daily conduct does not
come up to the best standards?
The Greenwood Journal for instance, Last
week, had an editorial which. from our view.
point, was we'll meant. but which was In
reality a reflection on the city in which the
paper Is printed. It commended the jury
for doing its duty in convicting man
charged with immortality. Has It come to
this that q jury is to be commended for con-
vtction in such cases? Were the parties
who were convicted, OF such social standing
In Greenwood that 1t required an unusual
amount Of courage to enable them to give q
true verdict?
While the offence for which he was CON-
victed may have been kn~wn to people
thereabout, yet people abroad had not
heard Of 1t. But the Journal cow cts the
community Of having condoned the offense
for thirty or forty years. The editorial COM
ment gave emphasis to the fact that one OF
her citizens had defied public sentiment for
Q generation. The tenor Of the editorial
may also he said to create the impression
abroad that the convicted man was citizen
o. such influence and power that the jury
could not have been expected TO convict both
the defendant citizen and the offended
community.
We have no idea that the guilty one was q
leader Of society, or a church work or, or
even anything higher than prohibitionis,
Bot we believe prohibitionists generally
claim to be the very best OF all the earth's
products.
According toour conception OF the province
or duty OF newspaper. the good should be
tne Ideal, the weak shouldbe encouraged to
do the right, while the erring and the down
fallen, as far as the public good will permit
should be dealt with In mercy and in kind.
ness.
Inc assailing OF character is no part
ofthe duty Of q jouranalist. Character is too
sacred to be wantonly destroyed or recklessly
assailed.
It is the duty of the newspapers TO
sustain whatever is good, to give encourage
ment to holiness and pureness of living. It
1s not the editors duty to scour the slums
and Haunt their filth in the eyes of tie public
Inc days OF martyrdom have past and the
persecution ofthe erring Is not the duty OF
The editor. Even convict has rights which
an editor should respect.
1--we were to pass Judgment upon the
published matter about Greenwood for the
last few years, We would say:
!. That the enterprise and the public spirit
OF her citizens have received due and proper
recognition.
q That the filth, the sin, and the liouor
dealing in and about the city has had too
much prominence.
0. Ihat the purity. the holiness and the
DETER lives Of Its good people have not been
mace as conspicuous before the public as
nave been the exceptional cases of evil.
4. That the good name Of the city of Green.
wood has suffered because of the undpe
prominence which has been given to evil
doers.
Trusting that our neighbors may accept
our comment in the spirit in which It ia
made. the matter is with them.