The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-05-16

never belong to faction or party
in the sense that thereby it forfeits
it's high privilege of criticising and
even opposing to Its utmost endeavor
the policies or candidates of that
party or faction when, in its candid
judgment, success would be inimical
to the true interests of the whole
people.
The ideals of our profession should
be the highest. Our press should
not only be Independent but 1t should
1be courageous. 1t should be ever
willing to blaze the way where less
resolute souls have trembled to CO.
| 1t should be humbled rather than ex-
allied by the power which it exerts in
the community, the state and the ma
ton. 1t should be ever ready to fight
with all the resources at it's CON-
mand the power of evil, but it should
never hesitate to acknowledge its
own error, or refuse to do full JUS
tice to those whom it may have I'M
Willingly injured. Newspapers will
often err; they are owned, edited ana
published by humans, but when they
do err no false sense Of pride should
deter them from admitting their mis-
takes.
It should ever be our endeavor to
speak the truth as God gives us the
light to see ii regardless of the ef-
feet that it may have upon our pri-
vate interests. We should never
hesitate to criticise or expose the
faithless public servant, but our mo-
tive for doing so should always be
] born of a sincere desire to serve the
public interest The newspaper that
Iattempts to destroy others merely to
went the personal spleen or pre-
judices of it's editor is a. public
enemy and is unworthy of the tradi-
tions of the great profession. No
] lpaper should ever speak ill of any
public servant even, unless some
public good can be accomplished
thereby. The personal equasior
should never enter into our criticism
or praise of any official or individual
We should speak plainly ant
truthfully about public evils, with the
view always to the accomplishment
of some lasting good. We shoult
be ever ready to respond to any
kiworthy call; never to close our ear:
or hearts to any just claim.
| Newspaper men, above all others
should be optimists. 1t is true tina
Z their profession often calls them tt
view the "seamy' side of life; the!
see as others cannot the hypocris.
Iof politicians; the oppression of thu
great and the powerful; the injustice
of the rich; the jealousy of the small
minded; the sufferings Of the poor
the faithlessness and betrayal o
4 trust by public servants, but through
it all they should never fail to re
4 Icognize the goodness of God and thu
! truth of history that the world Ii
ever progressing toward brignte
and better day. Although. our lif'
may be occasionally darkened by dis
aster and deceit, and our vision oh
scured by passion and war and hate
Z in the end, If we bur honestly, earn
testify and valiantly strife for the at
tainment of the highest ideals, W,
are sure TO reap the fruits of GU
struggle.
Our gospel should be one OF pro
Igress; of advancement. We should b.
forward looking men, striving eve
to contribute our part toward max
ling the world better place to live
and safer place in which to real
our children and our children's chill
: dren. And whatever will, contribute
to this desired end should have oul
earnest and consecrated effort re
CARELESS of tie temporary embarrass
ment that may result.
1t is gratifying to record great pro
3 gress among the newspapers of Ten
l nessee. They are attaining more
t nearly to the ideals above outlined
2 than ever before in the history OF
: this state. Their influence for good
: is more potent than at any time in
) our previous history. The newspap
: ers Of this state are cleaner, more
: readable, more truthful and more in.
: dependent, more courageously fight
: ing for what their editors believe to
, be right, but withal more consider.
: ate of others, than they have ever
: been. 1t is a healthy sign and means
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