The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-24
Wednesday, Feb. "a, 1904.

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We copy from the Chester Lantern an ar
ticle which refers to the dispensary, gives
jab to Tillman, and makes a thrust at some
of the newspapers Of the State.
From each Of It's positions the Press ano
Banner would dissent
FIrst-We believe the dispensary law Is the
best liquor law that South Carolina has evei
had.
Second-We believe Senator Tillman was
right in his protest against the manner In
which some Of the newspapers OF the State
had besmirched rs good name.
Third-We believe the Lantern was uni us,
to its brethren when that newspaper spoke o.
the decent newspapers" thereby, by i'm pill
cation at least, asserting that some of the
newspapers were Indecent.
Our good brother would find 1t difficult to
prove by jury OF his peers that there are
any indecent newspaper In South Carolina.
The editor of the Press and Banner has
been in the printing business from a time
ante-dating the birth of the editor OF the
Lantern, and our testimony would be that
we have seen no indecent newspaper tina,
This thing Of one newspaper claiming to be
better, or more honorable, or more decent
than its neighbors. is claim that could hard
ly be sustained. However thoroughly salts.
fed an editor may be in his own mind that
he is purer and better than his neighbors, he
would find 1t difficult to convert others to his
way Of thinking. The fact that an editor
may be disrespectful is no evidence OF his
superiority, but his disregard for the rights
and feelings Of others may be an evidence
that the editor lacks something Of coming up
TO the requirements Of his exalted position.
1t is usually the manner and not the honesty
of the editor to which objection may be made.
Editors and the people generally love an hon.
est man, and they admire candor and fair
ness Of speech. But they do not admire self.
conceit and Ill manners.
The presumption Of an editor who would
exclude from his soul the possibility that he
may be in error, while exhibiting intolerance
for those who may differ from him, would
hardly commend him to the good grsces OF
people. who love fair play. In the general
chapter Of accidents man may be set down
to be right half his time, while the other fell
low will be right the other half Of the time.
And We notice that those who think other
people ought to enforce the law, seldom see
any need for effort at their own door. Did
anybody ever see a prohibitionist trying to
enforce any liquor law? Did any newspaper
ever urge the con nviction Of man In his own
county?
Public questions are legitimate matters for
discussion, and there Is no need for ill.humor,
except when q man is on the losing side.
When he is conscious Of having been van.
quished, 1t may be some relief or some conso-
lation for him to step aside from the proprie
ties TO abuse the other fellow. but neither per
sonal abuse nor Misrepresentation can win q
victory.
To prove that our neighbors may hold con.
victions contrary TO our own, the conduct OF
recent campaign might be cited to prove
that great issues are impersonal and that he
Nwho INDUCES in personalities rather than dis
cuss the issues in a fair and logical way, puts
himself at a disadvantage, and does nothing
TO gain the contention.
For instance: There is Col. James A. Hoyt
Of Greenville who, we believe, was the head
and front, or the acknowledged leader, Of the
prohibition movement in this State a few
years ago. While he has been all his life an
incorporating advocate OF prohibition, we
have no recollection Of his ever having
charged evil 10 those who differed from him.
Instead OF assailing anybody's good name,
or impugning anybody's motive, his appeal
was TO reason, and he tried in that way 10
bring the people to his way Of thinking. He
thought his opinions were right and gave the
reasons for his faith. AS far as We recollect
he made no charges Of indecency or lack oil
honesty on the part of those who held views
differing from his own. AS result OF the
high plane upon which he conducted his
campaign, the people now respect him
more than before. This state OF public senti-
ment would have been different II he had
charged the people with being la wless and H.
decent But he recognized the fact that 9TH
ers, as we'll as himself possessed some of the
virtues. And none Of the voters of the State
would deny that he fought a good fight
There are none that would not accord to him
clean private life. Nobody would impeach
his public career or his official acts. All agree
that his record in! the sublime struggle be-
tween the states measured up tothe highest
standards of the American soldier.
With all these facts in his favor, he
showed disrespect to none. he accorded to
others the purity Of purpose, the independ-
ence OF thought and the freedom of speech,
which he claimed for himself. He failed to
convert the people TO his way of thinking,
but he convinced them that his head and his
heart led him to be just to all men, however
much they might differ from him on public
question. 1t occurs 10 Us If the same prlnci.
pal actuated the editors that govern the
statesmen, that our standards would be better
and our field Of usefulness and influence
would be broader.
II the few avowed prohibitionists OF this
State would cooperate with other temper
ance men, much good might result. Evils OF
the dispensary might be remedied. Shorter
hours for keeping the dispensary open might
be secured. And whatever is abuse might be
removed.
SO far from the correctness OF the charge
that the people Of South Carolina are Iawless.
we believe that they are as good, as true. and
az law-abiding as any people on earth.
We believe the newspapers Of this State are
as clean and as decent as any to be found in
the world.
Charges against this people and our news
papers we believe to be unjust.
Additional Courts.
The need Of additional Circuit Courts is not