The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-07-08
PARDON US.

In its issue of June 25th, the De-
Soto County News saw fit to descend
from the high plane upon which most
| Florida weekly newspapers are con-
Quoted and deviate from the code of
ethics of the profession, which pre-
cludes personalities and malice in
editorial expression The News used
nearly page, most of which was set
in siX-point type, in its attempt to
| justify a TRADE of personal abuse
directed at the editor of the Herald
This TRADE was inspired by an editor
ial that was published in the Herald
rejecting on the apparently changed
attitude Of the anti-divisionists Of
Arcadia. The Herald editorial was
purely political in nature, dealing
with conditions and circumstances af-
Iecting an issue that has disturbed
the people of DeSoto county for
twenty years and will disturb them
until settled-right. The Herald
editorial was as imparsonal and dig
nlfied as any we could have written
on a question Of national or world
wide cOnCern--WeTe we capable OF
taking in so much territory. If it
required a reply, professional as we'll
as social courtesy demanded that the
reply be as dignified and impersonal
as our editorial.
In our editorial we said that we be-
liev9d there could be no real CO.
operation, goodfellowship and pro-
gress in DeSoto county until the div
ision question is settled for all time
according to the wishes of the major
ity OF her people, that if the anti
divisionists are ready to allow the
question to be settled in this manner
without further interference the peo-
pie Of Punta Gorda are ready to meet
them half way and work for progress
and prosperity Of I'll of what is now
DeSoto, but if they again attempt to
defeat division it will be a long time
before we and the people of Punta
Gorda can extend the hand of good
fellowship. That was the gist of
our editorial. We meant it and still
mean it. We said that we believed
that we expressed the sentiment of a
majority of the people of Punta Cor
da. We did not arrive at this belief
while we sat writing the editorial. for
we 90 not assume the role of spokes-
man for the community until we
know what the community thinks
and we find out what the community
thinlyc h,y ~ rrith 81
classes and conditions of its people.
Said the News: I'VE do rot be
lieve that it" (the Herald) "repre-
sents the majority of the people of
Punta Gorda in its methods and edi-
torial expressions. If it does God
help the people! *"&If Punta Gorda
agrees with Mr.. Garrett, we will be
satisfied if they stay at home; if you
do not agree with Mr.. Garrett, come
you are welcome"
Whether the people of the COM
munity agree with the Herald's
method and editorial expressions
generally or not, it seems that this is
one instance in which we and they
were in agreement, for the News has
its reply and it was emphatic. We
did not attend the celebration, but of
the five or six men we know were in |
Arcadia Saturday we cannot get one
to say that rs Punta Gordans were
there. Making allowance for the /
usual number who go there on bust !
ness each Saturday, it is more than
safe TO say that not more than so, or
less than four per cent, of the people
of Punta Gorda went to Arcadia to
attend the love feast"
Not one word of tee above is in
tended as an apology, nor is it in
tended as q reply to Our critic. 1t is
an explanation. AS we said last
week, reply from us is unnecessary.
The News invited the people to re-
p.y-and they did-emphatically.