Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-04-08

much to become involved I'm q con-
troversy with any one granting him
"a news interview and especially wher.
the interviewed is e lady, but since
his loyalty, fairness and the subject
OF reproach is called into question,
he feels that the foregoing letter from
Miss Steedman requires an answer.
The editor talked with Professor
Howell of the Asheville schools and
Miss Steedman of the Hendersonvil1e
schools and so far as he was able he
expressed impartially the views OF
both. If he misquoted either, then he
is ready to make amends, but IL he Is
called to task just because he did not
say who was right, Miss Steedman or
Professor Howell, Cfor he did not
know then he has no apologies to
offer. He did not mean TO show par
TALLY but rather give the views of
each impartially. He vas interview
ing and giving the Jews and views
rather than expressing any feelings
or wishes he might have had in the
matter, for when the editor gets ready
to express himself on any question he
does so with freedom and fearlessness
Ia tAS OuALO1 1d10 4dLuO4 -LA0A dAAHA6O0
ously in the news columns.
Since Miss Steedman does not deny
the statement attributed to her, per-
haps she feels a personal afront"
because the Democrat did not enter
into loud praise for what she had to
do in the matter and because it did
not pronounce Professor Howell a
falsffier, as evidenced by her "asser-
ton" rather than her claim" thai
there had been nothing but fair play.
As Miss Steedman says, the rep
resentative' of the Democrat was not
present, therefore he was not in a
position to say whether she or Pro-
fessor Howell was in error. That Is
left to- others to decide. There are
always two or more sides to every
question and to think that the Dem
ocrat should flop around on n
side without just cause is a miscon-
ception of its mission as a newspaper,
which should be representative Of all
the people.
When Miss Steedman learns one
tenth as much about the business Of
running a newspaper and its policies
and it's ethics of fair play as she
knows about teaching school, she will
know more about how to grant and
regard newspaper interviews and how
to look upon the impartial position OF
a paper in its news stories.
AS to the debaters working zeal
ously and faithfully in their prepare
ton, the editor thought that the fol-
quotation from last weeks
sufficient praise for them:
Although the subject was rath-
er a difficult one for school chill
dren, the results showed that the
debaters had given considerable
time to the preparation of their
speeches. The debaters handled
the subject creditably, showing
that they regarded their duties
seriously and went about per-
forming them in no playful spirit"
Again, if the editor misquoted Miss
Steedman, she has not said so and he
would regret to know that he had for
he did not mean a personal affront"
nor did he in the least wish to ques-
ton her sincerity, veracity or her po-
sition as being above ~reproach" in
the community, but as to the editoI
showing HIMSELF STRANGELY
IN LOYALTY TO HIS
HOMETOWN AND IN HIS SUP
OF THOSE WHO ARE WORK
ING FOR ITS RETIREMENT AND
UPLIFT," and his failure to let Jus
TICE AND LOYALTY GUIDE HIS
PEN" and as to the "VAUNTED
OF THE DEMOCRAT" he
prefers that the public, which would
be in a better position than Miss
Steedman to judge him fairly and i'm
partially, sit in judgment in this case.