Macon beacon., 1907-04-27
Fair Play.

THE BEACON is glad 20 print and re
ply to the frank and courteous commu-
nication appearing elsewhere in this
issue, signed IS f. W.
Inso small town as Macon where
relations of friendship or by ties Of
blood or marriage, or from business
connections etc, are SO intermixed Chat
in any matter that causes much inter
est the editor has friends on both sides,
he cannot truthfully say that communi-
cations adverse in their criticism are
GLADLY received But in the perfor-
nance Of the duty deyolving upon a
public journal, the BEACON has and
will print all proper criticisms and at
tacks on public officials and their pub
ie acts, unpleasant as it may be to the
personal feelings of the editor.
But the BEACON takes the position
that in no case will it print any criti-
cism of any public man or Of any pub
nc act the author of which demands or
claims any right to delay, hinder or any
way Interfere with an answer to his
criticism, The accused may properly
demand a reasonable time to prepare
ms defense, or the lack of space NAV
postpone the publication, but the prin-
clple is absolutely just, and established
by all the rules Of journalism land fair
play, that an accuser or critic has
no rights whatever as to when his ac-
cusation or criticism is replied to- ex-
cept that it be not too long delayed.
No one has right legal or moral to
demand that his accusation be allowed
to so unchallenged for week. This
proposition is so very plain and 50 mani
festly just that it needs only to be
stated to be acquiesced in.
AS to the instance cited by S. E. W.,
the BEACON is under contract with the
City of Macon to print the ordinances
and other proceedings of the Board of
Aldermen In the matter Of printing
such public documents sent it under
this contract, the editor has no choice
or discretion. The matter printed in
this case was a letter from the mayor
directing an investigation Of the school
matter and the report from the trus-
tees, together, with a letter from the
clerk of the Board to the BEACON di-
recting that they be published. We
are certain that S. E. W, and we be-
lieve that every one, will agree that
the BEACON could neither refuse ia
publish the report nor divulge it to
third persons without a breach of its
own contract as well as Of good faith
and business rules. No newspaper
could command decent support that
would prematurely make public matter
sent to it to be published under con
tract. Matter that the paper pays for,
or that is voluntarily sent in is under {
different.rule. 1t must also be remem.
bered that any one could have seen the
report in question by demanding from
the city clerk sight of the city re
cords. 1t was public document oper
to all citizens.
1t, therefore, is again stated thai
any citizen or citizens Of Macon anc
Noxubee county will find the BEACoNf
columns open to any proper commen
of reasonable length on any and all pub
lie affairs, however much it may con
f1ict with the editors own views. 1t i
only required that the article be signet
in the authors own name so that il
case it becomes necessary the respon
sibility may be fixed.
The editor is conscious that in tn
matter complained of he was actuate
by no prejudice or partiality, and he j
convinced that any fair mind, afte
carefully examining all the facts Of tn
case will be convinced that the cours
of the BEACON violated no law of jus
tice or fair play, and no "every-da
rule of journalism And if we hav
aroused criticism by this course, we ar
consoled by the thought that it was no
through our own fault, but by reaso
of being subject to that anomalous an
immutable law Of journalism Every
body can run a paper better than tn
editor.