The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-09
EDITORIAL CONVENTION AT AsHEvILLE.

uncommon wisdom that is! Virginia
selected Mr.. w. S. Copeland (they
call him Colonel" in Richmond, but
folks in Northampton county where
he was born, know he was a bare
footed boy after the war was over)
editor of the Richmond Times-Dis-
patch, to express the happiness 1t
gave the Virgfnians to be here. He
did SO in a speech of humor that
ter, at a joint meeting, Mr.. Copeland
delivered an address on 1.-THE Fratern-
ity of Journalism" which, / would
say, was the best delivered during the
session but justice to the
speeches made by North Car
DINA editors will not permit.
/ wish every good man and woman in
the two States, and particularly every
young editor, could read it and ponder
it's mighty words and its correct and
lofty estimate of the duty of the news
paper man. Some portions of it are
so exquisite and so truly expressive of
ideals which / have always held (but
despaired of putting in words) of jour-
nalism that / must make room here for
a rather long extract, l tried to cut
down this extract but found that the
sentiment and the words were vas
cular and would bleed if l attempt
ed it. Besides the extract below will
be the best thing in Sundays News
and Observer and as good as any SER
mon. Mr.. Copeland said:
II have purposely placed the STAN
dard high, and l have purposely
made the qualifications severe and,
yet, my brethren of the press, l be-
lieve that the newspaper men of the
South, individually and collectively,
have all the qualifications of a model
fraternity. We have our difference OF
opinion, we must have, we should
have, but in the essentials of honor
able principle we are Of one mind and
heart. We are business men and 1T
is right and necessary that we con-
duct the business end of the neWspa-
per upon business principles. but while
there is of necessity a commercial
side of a newspaper, while-We sell that
which it is legitimate to SELL thank
God there is no commercialism and
there are no bargains and sales in the
editorial rooms of the Southern news
paper.
eve are a fraternity because we do
not work for money. The laborer is
worthy of his hire, but the editors of
the South as a class are as free from
mercenary faint as the clergy of the
South. With us the question is not
what is popular and what will pay,
but what is right and what is for the
public welfare. In this age of greed
and grab. | am proud of the record
which the Southern editor has made
in unselfish devotion to the public in
terests. The man who is guided in his
conduct by the true spirit of patriot
ism gives all he can to the public,
gives generously, gives with pride,
gives with affection. 1t is the civic
highwayman and the civic trail
tor who takes all he can
from the public and appro-
PIRATES it to his own use.
challenge any body of professional
men to show as much unselfish and
beneficent service to the public as
has been given cheerfully by the edi-
tors of the South They give like a
prince and ask nothing in return.
either in money or recognition or
plaudit. Their charity is that which
vaunteth not itself: it not puffed up;
which seeketh not her own: which is
not easily provoked, but hopeth all
things and endureth all things for the
uplift of humanity. That were chiv-
airy enough in itself, but the chivalry
of the Southern editor is manifest in
other directions and in all directions.
He is always ready to give a word of
encouragement in season, to lift up
those who have fallen. to storm the
stronghold of the oppressor in order
that the weak may be. rescued, to de-.
nounce wrong and oppression where
i FA,a,.< n
exploit and praise it whether, in men
of high or low degree, and by all the
gods to- protect and defend the honor
of woman.
'In the State of South Carolina sew
eral years back there were two editors
of different opinion on many ques-
lions, even to the point of hostile an
tagoniSm. There was many a bout De-
tween them and each was severe in
censure of the other, although keeping
within, parliamentary bounds. Upon
occasion one of these editors had
gone from home, and in his absence
some opponent made "a serious charge
against him. whereupon the editor
who was left <at home took up the
cudgels in defense of his absent foe
and denounced the charge as false.
He said that the absent, editor had
done many things of which he did
that if he were at home he would de-
inounce this SANDER for himself. but as
he was not there to speak in his own
defense he would not lack for cham
pion.
81 pause to dip my lance in rever-
ence to the honored memory of the
knightly Gonzales of the Columbia
State. I knew him not in the flesh,
but I know from this one act that.
whatever may have been his faults.
he was through and, through a ch1v-
alrous gentleman of the South.
1--WE are humorously designated the
knights of the Quill / accept the
title in all seriousness, and it is my
earnest ambition to wear the badge
worthily, l may be old fogy and senti-
mental, but / believe that man has a
soul and that it is the noblest part. l
believe in it's immortality; / believe in
the communion of the saints; l be-
lieve in the fraternity of kindred spir-
it's: / believe in the nobility and aris-
tocracy of spiritualized manhood; I
believe that such glorified men may
sit together in heavenly places here
and hereafter in congenial fraternity.
81 repudiate the modern idea that
a newspaper is an inanimate thing, Il