The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-14
MR.MERR|TTSV|EW
Earnestness of Purpose
Have Characterized
the N. & 0.
1t Has Had Great Influence But Has
Never Abused Its Power or Ex-
ercised it Arbitrarily.
BY FRED L. MERRITT.

Marcus Aurelius, in the beginning
of his exquisite Thoughts, draws ur
a catalogue of those from whom he
had gained something and mentions
what he had learned from each OF
them. If l followed the illustrious en-
peror's example, | should put first in
the list the name of the editor of The
News and Observer, and the things
consciously learned from him would
necessarily have to comprise the great
Ell part of my catalogue.
1t was by one of the accidents OF
life that l became a newspaper man
had never dreamed of adopting such
d career, and hence, was about as un-
fitted for it by training as one can well
imagine. Being a college graduate, /
could of course write English passably
well, but writing it easily and quickly
was the thing. Then it had to be
concise and accurate in the first draft,
since copy" in the modern newspaper
office goes to the type-setting machine
slip by slip as it is being written, and
you know as it goes that you are never
to see again what you write until you
read it next day in the paper. Under
such circumstances one must not only
be clear in fact but must form the
habit of. determining what he is going
to say before he says it. Teaching me
how to do this is the first item / would
put down in my list of things learned
in the office Of The News and Observer,
for it may not be amiss for me to say
here that in all my acquaintance of
newspapers and newspaper men /
have never met one more ready with
his pen or who knew better in advance
what he was going to say than does
JosephuS Daniels, who was my chief
when | began newspaper work and has
ever since been my friend and adviser.
Bearing with my imperfections and
forgiving my miStakeS-both of which
were numerOus-he gave me every
possible opportunity to learn the bust
ness, and under his direction I believe
/ have done everything which an edi-
tor or publisher ever has to dc, from
directing wrappers up to writing an
editorial on President within an hour
after his death.
With a strong leaning toward poll
tics, and some little actual experience
in it, | naturally drifted to political
writing. This class of work has ever
been most to my liking, and even now
appears of peculiar interest as it looms
up before me in a brief survey. In
fact, a history of The News and OBJ
server during the past decade would
inevitably include a history of the
politics of the State, for during that
time it has been essentially a political
paper, and did l not appreciate the
difficulties in my way, and lack of
space forbid it, I would be tempted
here to review some of the principal
political events of the past decade and
the part taken in them by the paper.
In a general way it can be said that
there has not been a political policy
q -I0i inc
which The News and Observers views
were not consulted in advance. Hence
its influence on Legislation and all acts
Of State government has been ire
mendous. But at no time has it shown
a disposition to abuse it's power or ex-
ercise it arbitrarily. Nor has it been
one of those
Willing to wound, and yet afraid to
strike"
In this spirit may be found one of
its chief sources of strength and con-
tinued power for good.
1t fought Fusion to the death, and