The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1913-01-30
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

We have had many experiences in
the newspaper business, and many un-
pleasant things to contend with.
Most, if not quite all the unpleas-
ant things were caused by people mis-
understanding, msconstruing, mis-
interpreting, imagining and pictur-
ing in their minds things that were
never Intended
Frequently we find some spicey lit
tie article in another newspaper deal
ing with some human short-coming,
and we publish it, only to find the
shoe fits some one or two in our
neighborhood and we are called upon
to explain or fight ard we are gcner-
ally ready to do either or both.
Not many months ago we printed "a
little clipping from the Scott County
Democrat, and big six-footer took
up our trail. He found us.
Another instance, when two drunk
en- families had shooting scrape and
a man and woman were wounded, we
failed to give particulars, names Or
place, merely saying the disgraceful
affair of certain night was not
worthy of mention-and gee. how they
came after our scalp. And so it goes
all through life.
Most of the trouble in life could be
avoided if people properly under
stood, and would lay down prejudice
and ill-will. OF course there are al
ways people in every community
whose chief mission in life seem to be
to stir up strife, and they usually sue
coed. For the past several months
ours have scanned the columns of the
Herald for sweet morsels.
The following little item, appearing
in these columns last week, was in
tended in all goodwill, good feeling,
to do good, . reminder, mild chas-
tisement. "Whom the Lord loveth
he chastiseth. We are, all of us,
better for being criticised 1t makes
us more considerate, more mindful
and more watchful: it causes us to see
and be conscious of our defects and
weakness and helps us to guard
against them. While the article was
intended for all churches and for
some of the preachers and members
of all churches, it was called out by
the report coming to us that on GER
tain occasions certain preacher had
criticised US for carrying saloon adj
vertising, and we explained our posi-
tion, as follows:
"There is absolutely nothing
that does more for the churches,
church societies, organizations,
Sunday schools than the home pa
per, yet in every community there
is that class of church members
and PERHAPS ONE preacher
who have an irresistible inclina-
ton to say ugly things about the
"sheet," especially if it carries
saloon or beer advertisements,
while at the same time the preacher
and his flock gladly accept all the
donations they can get from the
saloon men and gamblers, even to
500 gasoline lighting system.
Under the oath "a publisher takes
when he applies to the United
States Postoifice Department for
admission to the mails, he cannot
refuse any advertising matter
that is legitimate. according to
the Federal laws, and his charges
must be uniform, not proibitive."
TO our surprise, when the paper
came out, great storm was raised,
there was much indignity, we were
roundly censured and condemned and
our motives questioned by some. |,
seemed that our business if not oul
body might be harmed, and even the
assistance of outside papers was in
voked, the matter was paraded al