Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-27
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THE NEWSPAPERS"

FURNISHING THE NEWSPAPERS
Discussion of Popularity That l:
Familiar to All Editors.
With sympathetic interest we OBJ
serve our esteemed contemporary The
Columbia Is. Co. State, remarkine
in double-leaded type, on the attitude
toward it of some of it's beloved con-
stituents. A municipal election Is
pending in Columbia and a few days
ago The State, for reasons apparently
sound and sensible, announced its
preference for one Of the two candi'
dates for mayor. Immediately the CRY
went up that this would defeat the
candidate favored by The State, re-
gardless Of his comparative merits
and qualifications. Many voters, The
State is told, wait eagerly from year to
year for an opportunity to vote
against anything or any man thai
newspaper may support.
There is more or less Of this in every
community in the country of less than
half a million people. When a city
passes the half million point 1t goes
usually beyond small considerations
and ways. But every newspaper
which takes positions and says things
makes enemies: and there is nothing
in human nature more absurd, more
amusing or more curious than the per-
sonal attitude of the American citizen
toward a newspaper he does not like
The causes for dislike are many and
various and happen every day. A cit
izens name is presented in some COM
plimentary connection but misspelled
He is omitted where he thinks he
should be prominent, or, at least, men,
toned, or Is mentioned where he would
prefer to be omitted-the police
court, for instance, or as defendant In
a suit or in some other uncomfortable
connection. Harsh things are said
about his favorite candidate or his
party. Maybe there Is what he takes
to he a sighting allusiOn to his religi-
Gus denomination or of some organi-
zation of which he Is a member. 1t
may be any one Of n thousand things.
But the citizen lays 1t up inside OF
himself with dumb rage. The more
completely he is convinced that he Is
wrong, that he deserves the oblivion
or the unwelcome mention the news
papers accorded him, or that his party
or faction or organization earned the
adverse criticism of which it was the
object or that hostile party or organ
iZatiOn deserved the praise it received,
the more intense his bitterness. Some
times he forbids the paper being left ut
his house or office. Sometimes he
tears up the offending sheet ostenta-
tiously and tramples 1t under foot.
Sometimes he abuses the astonished
newsboys who offer it to him or makes
derisive or profane remarks about 1t in
the street cars or other public places.
Yet to his enraged surprise, the news
paper continues to appear day by day,
apparently unruffled and undisturbed,
carrying about the usual amount of
advertising, apparently as we'll patron
lied as ever, cheerful and confident In
general tone.
So the citizen presently smooths
down his irritated feelings and forgets
about it or else lets his resentment be-
come sharper and more gnawing as
time goes on. After a while opportun-
ity for brilliant vengeance and salts
faction presents itself. The newspa-
per announces itself in favor Of can
didate, a party or policy. Forthwith
the citizen proclaims aloud, on the
street corners. in his shop or office or
in his favorite saloon, that he will vote
exactly as the infamous sheet is urg-
ing him not to vote. So again he
soothes himself and Is happy and all
swollen with pride over his achieve
ment But as matter of fact, he has
not hurt the newspaper or its sensibll-
tiles, has not wounded it's pride or in
jured it's prestige or caused any morti-
nCdIlOn. ne Sui'oi "Aho
knows his business, and the average
newspaper editor does know it, says
what he thinks, advises as he believes
is best and cares mighty little about
the consequences. He puts it up to the
voter and accepts the result philo-
sophically and TRANQUILITY. The citizen
who has sought to glut his vengeance
by voting against the advice Of news
paper he dislikes or which has Offend
ed him fails dismally. Very likely he
realizes, after a while, that he has act
ed like very foolish little child, per-
haps that he has voted against his
own interest and that Of the commun-
ity and his fellow citizens and has
proved that really he has no more
right with a vote than year-old baby
has with a razor or an idiot has with
a loaded gun.-Richmond News-Lead-