Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-09-26
QUICK TO CRITICIZE

That the editor of a country news
paper is subject to more criticism and
cussing than any other class of bus
mess or professional men, there is
no doubt. If the editor goes along
from week to week and never ex-
presses an opinion on local, state or
national issues, he is criticized by
some readers for not having any
ideas of his own or is accused of be-
ing afraid to take stand on ques-
lions at issue.
On the other hand If he takes
vigorous stand in favor of munich
pal improvements he is condemned
and accused of trying to foster a fl
nancial burden upon the people. II
he publishes an article from another
paper in which one of the great
economic questions of the day is ably
and fearlessly discussed, he is lam
that they think that every article that
basted by some who are so ignorant
appears in a country paper is written
by the editor. They don't seem to
know that when an article
is taken from another paper, and
credit given to that paper, that the
article does not necessarily reflect the
opinion of the local editor on that
particular question.
Within the past two weeks the ed
itor of the Examiner has been con-
demned for articles that have ap-
peared in the editorial columns of
the paper. We refer to the articles
entitled, What Ais Montpelier"
and "20th Century James Boys"
In the first named article we SIM
ply tried to show that every town in
Southern and Southeastern Idaho Is
rapidly outclassing Montpelier from
the standpoint of civic improvements.
In this article we stated nothing but
the plain, unvarnished truth. We
did not abuse any body or lay the
blame on any set of city officials. We
meant it as just criticism of the
people of Montpelier in general for
being content to plod along in the old
beaten path, while the people of our
sister cities have abandoned the old
way of doing things for new and mod
ern methods.
But had our criticism been partic-
ularly directed at the present city ad-
ministration, which 1t was not in any
sense of the word, there was no cause
for any one to get Sore" No public
official-be he city, county or state
should set himself UP as being
immune from Just and fair criticism.
There Is vast difference between
criticsing and abusing a public Of
ficiai We have yet the first time
in our 33 years newspaper career to
abuse public official. That the ar
ticle was met with favor by many of
the Examiners readers, was evidenc-
ed by the congratulations we receiv-
ed for having published it. The con-
gratulations came from both business
and professional men of Montpelier.
Regarding the article entitled the
goth Century James Boys" we will
state that it VS. taken from the Man.
ufacturers' Record, and eastern jour-
nal, to which proper credit was CIV
en-. 1t was published of our own vo-
lition, and not at the suggestion of
any business man in Montpelier: It
was published because it stated some
plain unanswerable truths-truths
that no right-thinking, patriotic
American citizen could take any ex-
ception to. We ask those who we I'M
derstand were cussing us for having
published the article TO read it again,
and give it honest and serious thot.
II they are capable of doing that, and
then il they have any desire to con-
tradict any statement made therein,
the columns of the Examiner are open
to them. In the language of Pres
1dent Wilson, we say to our carping
critics, Put up or shut up"