The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-11
THE BANNER WRESTLES
WITH THE TRUTH.
A Good Story Proving That it Pays to Tell the
Truth No Matter What the Circum-
stances May Be.


had been the habit with him to tell
the truth regardless of what it cost
his back. This trait in the newspa-
per business, his friends said, would
prove disastrous, possibly fatal. All
their lives they had been reading the
comic papers about what happened
to country editors, that tried to tell
the truth.
But Clelland only laughed at their
prophecies, bought the paper, and
proceeded to establish his policy in
the Office.
Sandy" he said to the foreman,
$50 long as I am editor and man
ager''-how good that sounded at
twenty-two!"-it shall be the policy
of the Banner to tell the truth"
Sandy ran his inky fingers through
his wiry hair, shifted uncasily to
the other foot and spat at the coal
scuttle.
s'Now, don't misunderstood me"
continued the young editor. ITO tell
the truth does not mean that we must
make fools of ourselves and a nuls-
ance of the paper. Lots of folks think
that to be truthful is to be disagree
able and oficious, always saying un-
pleasant things. Nonsense! Being
truthful does not any more license a
man to be a meddler than being
honest licenses him to blow up rascals
with dynamite. I simply mean this:
We will print whatever we ought to
print. and tell the truth about it.; we
will not print anything but the truth;
and we won't dodge or suppress or
color or exaggerate anything. Neither
fear nor favor, partiality nor spite,
will influence u.s."
Sandy shook his head sadly. TO
him the world was mostly a vain
show; and he was convinced that
David in his haste uttered a perma-
nent truth. His opinion of the new
policy was briefly expressed
''Try it and you'll get your head
punched
But he tried it for two weeks and
did not; neither did he get much of
anything else. When word goes out
that a paper is going to tell the truth,
some of the people laugh, some swear
and all wait.
But he had met Miss Irma Mar
tin; and, even if the paper should
fail, that compensated for coming
to Well City. She made all things
worth while. Wholesome, frank,
and sincere herself, she liked the
new paper at once-and its editor.
She inspired truthfulness. And even
when later his luminous dream sent
Clelland out under the blooming ap-
pie trees to talk poetry to the stars,
he stuck to the truth. And yet in
the end it was she who caused the
Banner" to have it's hardest wrestle
with the truth.
The people soon began to like the
policy of the paper. They learned
that a man could be truthful and
tactful at the same time; be sincere
and not be a prig, frank and yet
sympathetic.
''It is the best paper the town ever
had," Miss Irma said one April even
ing while she and Clelland sat on the
Martin porch. ''Now, whenever a
rumor starts, some one is sure to
say: Where is the 'Banner?' 1t
will give the straight of it, -
81 am glad they like it-glad you
like it," His heart surged with the
Joy of success, success won without
the barter of principle.
But success was not won-not yet.
1t was not to be all smooth flying; it
never is in this blowy world.
The very next Friday old Pap COL
lins hobbled into the Office, ordered
his paper stopped, and gave the edi-
tor senile blessing because ne did
not print a story about his being a
hundred and ten years old and vet
eran of three wars.
Tubbs quit the paper because the
load Of calves he shipped was not
''the finest bunch that ever went out
of Well City,"
The Ancient Order of Bilks (six
months old) passed resolutions de-
nouncing him as an enemy of the
town because he Informed his read
ers that the lodge was being investi-
gated by the. State insurance depart
ment.
But he and Miss Irma only laugh
ed over his little discouragements
like these. She was such comfort
in time of vexation and trouble.
"You will lose some subscribers,
...,.o cold SsRrt thora