The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-03-15
VALUE OF C0OD NEWSPAPERS.
Mr. Arthur s. TOmpkins Writes of the
Value and Influence of County
PaDer.
Edgefeld, S. c., March 9, 1912.
Mr.. John K. Aull,
Newberry, S. C.

NeWberry, S. G.
My Dear John: The issue of The
Herald and News of March 8 is very
interesting reading. We properly
speak we'll of the farmer who tolls
day by day, and produces bread for
the eater and seed for the sower; the
brave soldier who seeks the bubble
reputation at the cannon's mouth in
defense of his county. But there are
heroes in time of peace no less re-
nowned than those in war Especial
ly the lonely engineer as he sits with
his hand on the throttle and his eye
on the rail, as his train filled with
precious human lives, rushes headlong
over the roaring trestles, amid the
misty darkness of a stormy night,
while so many others are resting in
balmy sleep. The editor of a good
county paper like The Herald and
News, and the diligent printers un-
known to fortune or to fame, they too,
are heroes, as they are more import
ant to the country than the big city
dailies, who only print general news,
not but that the great dailies do great
good in promulgating the general poll
cies of action and creating an inter-
change of ideas among the public; just
as the great trunk lines of railroads
brings long hauls of traffic and scat
ters blessings at every station along
it's extensive route, so do the daily
papers collect from distant lands, over
the far-reaching lines of wire the fleet
ing thoughts and lay them before the
delighted reader as he smokes his
after-breakfast cigar. But somehow
in this State the leading dailies have
not exercised much practical in
fIuence in shaping the conditions at
all; but things seem to have gone
contrary to their views. This is due
in part to having too much hate and
bitterness and desire to try to die
tate and drive the people. My mother
taught me these words in early life:
Speak gentle, it is better far
To rule by love than fear"
This applies to newspapers as we'll
as the family.
While the county paper is down next
to and among the people and as you
so beautifully say: cit has rejoiced
with those that rejoiced, and it has
1nourned with those that mourned. It's
columns have carried the fragrance of
the orange blossoms that adorned the
brow of the bride and the fragrance
of the roses Of remembrance, twined
with the immortelle of devotion that
wreathed the tomb" 1t helps to up
lift the people, teaching the errors of
intemperance, the folly of toting the
handy pistol, the preciousness of hu-
man life, the Importance of attending
the preached word of God; good. roads
and better country school, and thus
toiling in the night, while so many
others are enjoying natures sweet re-
storer balny sleep, and is safeguard
ing for the people that liberty which
is only brought by the eternal vigi-
lance of the country editor and his
faithful crew.
A good county paper should blaze
with the sunshine of Christian love
and charity. 1t ought to cultivate the
people and the people should cultivate
it. Their interests should be one and
the same. No paper can live and pros
per unless the people patronize it and
pay for it promptly as they do their
grocer's bill. 1t should fall into every
home as sweet benediction of peace
and instruction, and not be flied with
blood and thunder, sensational crimes,
nor smell of the rotten vaporings that
arise from the filthy cess pool of
scandal; nor merely act as pitiful hack
for any narrow political partisanship,
Or bigoted religious fanaticism. It's
sheets should be as clean as the skirt
of the sweet girl graduate on COM
mencement day, and Of it we should
say:
eT only knew they were near me,
In a world made new again;