The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-06-04
OUGHTfJNEwsPAPERs TO BE
ENDOWED?

eminenCE made REINSTATEMENT tnat i
ne had a fortune to dispose Of he
would gfvessnme Of his money -
achools Eldsto hoerinls. but. ne
added .taetsres-est educational insti-
rution IN a II erica Is the free press, and
/ would like to endnv a great news
,aper in North Carpllna 50 II could
educate all the people and not have
( 10 stop.to sdicit advertising or be
.hampsred Wish a,narrow income
That Vasaa new idea TO the small
company in which the idea was ad-
vanced but asthe proceeded 10 elabo-
rate it.tni shovsfhe educational value
II the right sort. OF newspaper. they
I'll agreed that atjouznal ought 10 be
regarded by the pubic az the same
sort Of educational institution Is a
+ colleges. IT uniye-sity.tthe difference be-
ng THAI the college and university
training.was limited to the young and
nparafively few who could matricu-
late in them vhiIe the newspaper
! ~helpedtto educate al classes from the
bow lin the kindergarten to the aged
man swhose sc,poling was limited to
the "ehree Rs
There are newspapers and newspa-
| pers inst az there are colleges and col
Ieees. There a-e those who think the
only junction of a newspaper is to
..rintf the news. There are those who
~think.that it's orly function is TO teach.
| There are thos"4 who value it only as
| an industry fo- making money. The
true newspaper must say with flome":
lam a man and whatever concerns
msrn interests me" 1t must print the
nev,s-and ans:he news. Lyman Abb
3ottRyas rightfvhen he said he wanted
his morning ape to be a true story
of the world OF the previous day, not
censored by anybody, but 50 printed
rnat he could see the bad as we'll as
he good and know his duty to it. 1T
must have opinion and convictions and
give expression to them. seeking TO
teach as well as to interest. But 1t
must not deny discussion. TT must
strenuosEsly advocate its views and ar
ford a forum fer those who hold OH
fering views. In that sense a news
naper is a sort of common carrier and
owes a duty II the public to let 1t
read fair discussion. 1t must have
initiative-the divine element in man
and originate plans and policies for
the welfare of he public. 1t must be
instant in season and out Of season
in pressing reforms, advocating pro-
eress. helping rwa every good
movement. and leading for the Right.
1t must fight Evi. and Wrong partc-
ularly those that are entrenched or
are near at hanG-as earnestly and
persistently as ii fights for the Right.
1t must deal fairly with public men
and measures. y newspaper that IS
influenced by the personal prejudice
of its editor or by financial conslc-
Grafton is an unworthy educator-as
bad az a college that defends trusts,
or is silent as to their evils, because
the trust magnate has given the col
lege a big end oNment. And just here
comes in the danger that might i'm
pair journalistic independence if one
should be heavily endowed. as suggest
ed by the gentleman quoted above.
Would not the tendency be for the
newspaper to refrain from criticizing
the Individual o. the corporation furn-
iching the endowment? Would not the
endowed newspapers editor be in
clined to initiate Chancellor Day, who
sings the praises of the trust magnates
who endow his institution? Or imitate
that professor Il the Chicago Univer-
sity who decareo that Rockefeller was
= greater man than Shakespeare? Or.
worse still. would he not be in this
+--- falJ 1op~o. fhof onnfrnntC nJo I
college presidents? 1. Seeing so many
good things money could do, the col
lege president IS tempted to SO bear
himself as to win the favorable con
sideration of trust Inagnates n get
them to endow his institution; 2. Hav-
ing been given an endowment Of
tainted money, he refrains from criti-
CLING the wrong methods of the con-
cern from which the college obtained
help, not because of bad motives, but
because of the feeling that it would
be indicate to accept money from a
man and then return his kindness by
holding up his methods to public
scorn. Would rot an e3itor-educator
be as much tempted to these two
things that are destructive as is the
college executive?
Experience has shown tina an en-
dowed church usually makes little
progress. With ample income to pay
the expenses the membership has lit
tie incentive to liberality and often
falls into ruts. Men who are on Easy
Street do not cake much effort. This #
church that has an endowment is
rarely as missionary and aggressive as
The church whose membe must of
necessity practice the grace of giving
in order to pay their preacher and the
general of the church. If a
was endowed would it be
so alert and 81, much in touch with
the business world that advertises?
Would it not he too Indifferent as to
the views of its subscribers? Would
there not be danger that it would
pursue fads and get out of touch with
the every day world of work around
it? NO man liTeth to himself Does
not a newspaper neei the contact and
mutually of interest which its bust
ness side gives it. to the practical af-