Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-08-11
ED ORAL S

less partisan leaning IN IHCF
news columns, but editorially
they have preserved a dense and
painful silence. They could have
rendered yeoman service to their
state in its hour of great need,
but not one of then; has chirpcd.
Why? We do not know. We
have been wondering and so have
a great many other Georgians.
In regard to their attitude to-
ward the highwa y department
and the agricultural department,
the Columbus Enquirer-Sun asks.
What are the Atlanta ncwspa-
pers saying in reference to these
and other important matters of
state? Nothing; and vet the peo-
Tlc of Georgia naturally look to
the three papers published in the
capital Of the state TO discuss
questions of moment and impor-
lance; they expect these watch
men on the tower to turn on the
light, but so far the latter have
signally failed in almost every
instance.
Possibly these Atlanta ncwspa-
pcrs know what they arc doing,
but it is like the fellow in the
dark who was throwing kisses
to his girl-no one else knows
anything about it.
Atlanta daily newspapers
there are three of them-should,
it seems take notice Of events oc-
curing Sin their midst" but so
far they are not doing so.
And heres a paragraph from
a Georgia week. , the Calhoun
Times, that SHOULD interest at
least one of the Atlanta newspa-
pers:
Let's see, didn't somebody in
sist on the state audit ''going to
the bottom of things" and Get
ting the chips fall where they
may" and so forth? Well, the
bottom was sounded and the chips
flew. But not a word have we
heard from them abcat the audit.
Probably as never before,
Georgians need the unselfish
and wise leadership of the edi-
tors Of Its papcrs-dailies and
weeklies. Issues are being dis
cussed that should be clarified
and explained to the readers Of
Georgia papers. The highway
and agricultural departments are
of far lesser importance than
the question of taxation and the
calling of a constitutional con-
vention.
One of the best posted men
in Georgia on the question of
taxation said to US last week
that if the daily papers Of Geor-
gia would present the FACTS
from an unbiased and unpreju-
diced standpoint, Georgia could
almost Immediately settle its tax
troubles. He declared
"The rewriting of the constitu-
ton and the adoption of fair
and equitable TAX system are the
two most important questions be-
fore Us today. The people will
do the right thing when they
know what is right. But the peo-
pie are iii the dark and it is large
ly the fault of the big dailies of
the state. | served for several
years in the Lower House and |
know what | am saying when |
accuse certain of the larger
dailies with deliberately misrep-
reseuting facts that came out be-
fore certain Of the house CON-
mittees-misroprescnting facts in
both their news and editorial col
umns.
"If Georgia's dailies-largc and
small-would make fair and ip-
telligent exposition of the tax
question, laying all personal pre-
judice and personal ambitions
one side, the people would rccti-
fly what I believe is Georglas
most serious nandicap-he- tax
system. Ii you could bring this
about, you would do the greatest
possible thing for Georgia"
Personal prejudices and pc
litical ambitions should have nc
place in the brains of an editor,
1t is his business to present the
facts-as nearly as is humancly
pcssible-in the news columns
of his paper. and he should ex-
press himeelf with the Utmost
candor and freedom in his edi-
torial columns. He should
be MENTALLY honest. He
should know neithe. political
friend nor foe
Ii isn't necessary that his read
ers agree with him. If he meets
every question fairly and. frank
ly and honestly. he will have the
respect of those who differ with
him as we'll as those who agree.
He will cause his readers to
think for themselves and wher