The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-07-31
.We DO Not Believe the News
papers.

Waltcrburo Press and ~Standard)
At the campaign meeting held Saturday
at the Court House a voter made the re-
mark while one Of the candidates Was
speaking. we do not believe the news
papers," One hears such remarks on all
sides and We suppose there are a few peo-
pie who really look with suspicion on what
is seen in the newspapers. But the above
statement is too broad and but shows how
little q person knows who will give utter.
ance to tit Is the result Of ignorance.
There are newspapers and newspapers
lust as there are readers and readers, and
to class all newspapers as purveyors OF
false information Is making rather too
sweeping a charge, and Il charge which
cannot be borne out by the facts. The
voter who made that statement knew at
the time il was false. How else, pray tell
us. does one get information these days?
Did not this voter get the information
that the Senatorial campaign party would
speak at marlborough from a newspa-
Der? He did not doubt this fact, die he!
The newspapers report that Woodrow Will
son has been nominated by. the Democrat
ic party as it's candidate for the Preslden-
CIV. Does anyone doubt that such report
Is true? The greatest vessel ever con-
structcd a few weeks ago went down into
the depths OF the sea, with many hundred
of precious souls on board. The nowspa-
pers reporLed this fact. Did they tell the
truth? Hundreds!of homes are In mourning
today, and not an inmate OF one OF them
blamed the newspapers for the sinking OF
the Titanic. We might multiply instance
after instance Of reports like the above
TO show that the position OF ithe author OF
the above remark is untenablc and that ne
und all others of his ilk are sayiug them,
selves whut they do not believe.
What then are some OF the things news
papers lie about? Is it only when they
publish undesirable and unwelcomc news
That they falsify? Let US see. Just now
It. is popular TO say III South Carolina that
whateveris said or limited as derogatory to
the ;life, character OF publics acts OF one
Cole L. Blaase are nothing but newspaper
lies. Vol now is thlstrue? Are the news
papers responsible for what men Is
true before courts OF Investigation! Must
they refuse to give this testimony pub
licity because, toresooth, 1t reflects OIL an
idol? The newspapers published Tho re-
suits Of a recent hearing held In Augusta.
This was at once denounced as false, and
men who should have known better we're
heard to remark, II don't believe any
thing l see in a newspaper" Now the pa
Ipers are full of a lengthy denial OF the
published Testimony from the Augusta
hearing. Is this too only newspaper
lies!" Why not? II false in one case, why
not in the other? Oh, no, this time it is
something they want to believe, and is as
true as gospel! Such is the perversity OF
human life, and such is the ignorance or
cupidity OF those who read.
or course tho criminal does not want the
reports on him believed, and to bring this
to pass he raises the cry OF "persecution
by the newspapers" and newspaper lies"
The fault Is not with the newspapers, and
the falscness is with him who would cry
"stop thief"
Ifthis were not campaign year and Cole
Blease were not a demagogue, and 81
many OF our people willing to swallow
anything ne says because they 10 not
know any better, one would hear nothing
OF this cry Of 'newspaperlies." But
Cole Blease is merely an incident as well
as an accident. Newspapers are believed
IN spite Of all, and they will ever be, be-
cause the great majority Of them are true