Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-12-15
THE WAY OF THE TIMES
DEMOCRAT.
New Orleans Picayune.)

HI us dIblClC III Vic NOhNUAJ NNNo
azine of +. October on Libel in Eng
land and America Mayor Gaynor
of New York City says:
In the whole range of rights won
by human progress, none is more
important than free speech and a
free press. Without them, free gov
eminent could not exist, yet demo-
cratic institutions have no deadlier
enemy than the professional falsi-
fer OF daily events or the probes
sional libeler who ruins regulations
and poisons the community through
the printed sheet; and free govern
ment cannot survive the continu-
ance Of such condition. Freedom
of speech and of the press means
freedom to write and speak the
truth, not falsehood and abuse. "
These remarks of Mayor Gaynor
have peculiar application to the
Times-Democrat generally, and par
ticularly to an editorial which APP
peared in that paper on December
s, under the heading Politics in
tho Pnhlic Schools -
It is well-known fact that the
Times Democrat, in collision with
John M. Parker, who voted the
National Republican ticket three
years ago; Don Gallery, who ran
for governor in 1900 against the
nominee of the regular Democratic
Party, and James Wilkinson, who
ran for Congress in 1892 on the
Republican ticket, is waging a fu-
rious campaign of abuse and Wifi
cation against Mr.. John T. Michel,
and all who support him.
Superintendent T. H. Harris is
supporting Mr.. Michel, and as it
was only expected to do, the
Times-Democrat has turned loose
its walls of wrath and abuse at him.
1t is up to the School Board, I"
says the Times Democrat, in the
article referred to, of that parish
to investigate, whether the Vidalia
school was ordered closed by Prof.
Harris, and the teachers and child
rem commanded to march to a po-
litical mass meeting and to shout
for him and Michel, or whether the
order was issued by the school SUI
perintendent or anyi local director
or other official. :"
If it was up to the School Board
at. Vidalia to investigate charges
that the Times Democrat has made,
wasn't it up to the Times-Democrat
to investigate these before it made
them? Its conduct by making charges
in this manner, before it has in
Observation-Disclosures or not the charges
were true, gives it the yellow cast ;
and was not only uniournalistic but
was unethical and was calculated
for the sole purpose Of iniuring Prof
Harris.
We shall enter upon no encom-
ium on Prof. Harris. There is his
record, read it. and Judge for your
selves. He is the ablest, most en-
ergetic and most beloved superin
tendent this State ever had. He il
the father of the agricultural schools
of our State, and it is almost i'm
possible to overestimate the might,
benefits which our people are de
irving and viii continue to derive
from these agricultural schools. Al
there are over 10000 voters in tn
State, any one of whom might hav'
run against Prof. Harris for tn
superintendency, and as no one die
run against him, Prof. Harris ma,
well be justified in believing tina
the people of the State are reason
ably satisfied with the educationa
situation, and with the manner il
which Prof. Harris has conductet
the schools Of the State.
If the Times Democrat had in
vestigated its charges before it mad
them, it would have learned tina
Prof. Harris did not order the clos
ing of the Vidalia schools or tn
presence Of the school children a
the meeting. In justice to Prof
Harris, the Times-Democrat is in
formed that he didn't even know
that the school children would b
present until he saw them at tn
meeting. The teachers and pupil