The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1912-08-21

The Dispatch Commended
For it's Fairness

The Dispatch Commended
For it's Fairness
Editor Lexington Dispatch:
Dear Sir:-As citizen of Lexirg-
ton county and South Carolina I de-
sire to express to you my appreciation,
and I believe I am expressing the
sentiment of hundreds of others for
your unbiased and unpre]uiced atti-
tude during the present campaign.
You have treated all candidates fair,
giving each one square deal, and
your subscribers fair by stating the
issues clearly with the platform of
each candidate, leaving every one to
form their own opinion. I feel it
necessary to write this as during this
disgraceful (for I call it such) cam
paign of mud singing and personal
abuse, but few papers have acted as
they thought their readers had intel
ligence enough to form an opinion.
not only this, but most newsp apers
have put themselves on the low level
of most of our candidates and gone
about abusing candidates and p~b-
fishing things in many cases unit to
be read by decent public. The press
is the school that most everyone at
tend, and without it the country
would be in a bad condition indeed.
It should therefore realize the neces-
sity for its purity. While the news
papers have been crying graft this
summer fear some of them have sold
their columns to the highest bidder. If
all papers would take the position of
our own Lexington Dispatch we
would not have as much personal pre-
dujice in our campaigns as we have.
There is no doubt but that few
more campaigns like our present one,
our primary system, the hope and
privilege of our common people Will
be doomed to destruction. I do not
know the cause of ali this excitement
in politics. for it seems that when one
party is in power citizens could differ
and make their discussions such that
would be the interest of both. Yet,
now the question is ''where can I get
something out Of it," Who can help
to elect that will help me in any per-
soaal ambition may have, regardless
of wrat is best for the general well
fare of the country. As an illustra-
ton of this, gentleman he1e desires
another man besides the present
County Supt.< of Education elected.
I asked him if all the schools in the
county was rot in better condition
now than ever before, and had they
not kept up with the advancement OF
the day! This he admitted. Had not
the present superintendent of educa-
ton shown as much wisdom ss any OF
his predecessors, and been as faithful
to his duty as any? He said he
thought 80. Had anything been done
to iniure any school? No. Had not
the superintendent of education stood
for what he believed to be right, and
with moral courage stood and forced
opposition as a man without fear Or
favor? And was not all the members
of the county board of education
gentlemen of ability, and did only
what they believed right as far as you
knew? He said yes they were. Then
what is your reason for opposition to
the present county board of education?
Because they moved the school house
in nv district without my approval
and was one of the trustees at the
time. Are you certain it was not for
the best interest Of the district?' He
said that he did not know but he did
not like it, neither would he ever vote
for one of the four men for anything,
if he ever voted again.
have not mentioned this incident
in behalf of the superintendent OF
education. 1 only use this as an illu-
stration to prove the course we are
drifting in politics, and how necessary
it is for something to be done for I'M
provement, Being associated with
masses of the people in the cotton mill
and on the farms my idea is that our
only hope is for the press of South
Carolina to cease personal abuse OF
any candidate-hold up his public and
and private record truthfully and sin
cerely, and leave it to readers to dra"
their own conclusions as to their Mt
ness. have heard many people rep
resenting the high ideals of life, say
during the last few days they would
not 90 to the polls at all as if one half
was true that was told through the