The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-13
Comments on Living Topics
By Archibald johnson.

There is more hope of fool than
of man who knows it all. lie has
passed the limit of courtesy because
THE king can do no wrong" and why
should king be courteous? 1t IS
a fine drt--this knowing how t. mann
tain your own position and still 40
perfect Justice to your opponent, ana
it is about the first anr most import
liant lesson for young journalist TO
learn. We have been put to shame
many a time by writing something
hot" about a man or a cause ana
being answered IN n sweet and AMIGA
BILE spirit. We have had some letters,
on the other hand. that are fine spec
linens of the thing we are whiting
about. They are too warm to print or
we would be glad for our readers TO
peruse a few of them. In every case
they reveal the coarse and brutal
strain that runs through the nature Of
the writer's. Gentlemen write as we'll
as speak gently.
Repeated efforts have been made to
publish hrst-class magazines south of
the Potomac river, but they have all
failed. What is she trouble with US.
anyhow? VIII our children reach I
higher level than We? Can we hope
to create a thirst for gOoc literature
that will sustain lectures, magazines,
in the North? We hope so, for this
is the worst thing that can be said of
the South If our people would only
become lovers of literature this would
indeed be the garden spot of the
world 1t will not do to say that our
population is too sparse. We have
plenty of people and our cities are
large enough if we only had the dis
position to digest the mental pabulum
that is so eagerly received and relished
by our Northern brethren. Loyal as
we are TO our dear Southland we are
bound to own that the Yankees are
away ahead of us in Intellectual pur-
suits and pleasures. We have the
material-aIl we lack is the taste.
Education and Religion.
A young lady >of exceptional intel
ligence from New York state, who is
now living in North Carolina, remark
ed to us the other day that the people
of the South in the matter of educa-
ton, viewed from any standpoint, but
that in the religious realm, as regards
church work and the loyalty of the
people to their religious obligations,
the South is altogether ahead of the
North. We are impressed with the
truthfulnes5 q this remark by The
character and spirit of our Northern
exchanges. The chicago standard
for example, great and able as it is
as a newspaper, always deDresses us.
1t appears to voice a failing cause.
1t speaks of empty pews, and failing
interest in religious affairs. 1t sounds
to us a kind Of hopeless note, as of
one who whistles to keep his courage
UP. There appears TO be no unity,
no AFOREMENTIONED pride and hope, no
enthusiasm and bouyancy in the com
ing of the Kingdom. We would judge
from it that the splendid temples
which have been built for the worship
of God contain list!ess wOrshippers on
the Sabbath day, if they be worship
Ders at al. On the other hand, every
Southern religious journal is full of
hope and zeal. They speak of the
triumphs of the Cross, of the grow
ing spirit of missions among the peo-
pie and of the Frightening prospects
of the cause of Zion. This is vast