Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1934-11-29
.THE LYNX AND THE MOLE

Last Thursdays issue of the Her.
aid carried It's weekly politico-
swill attack on the New Deal from
the president down to the editor of
the Democrat and the poor "Ghost
Writer" whose articles were accus-
ed of disclosing such personal fall
ings and vices as personally insult
ing everyone who disagrees with
him politically. whose articles are
full of egotism and pride, who hates
everything Republican, ETC., etc.
etc.
Well. in answering the editor OF
the Herald. who in my opinion is
about the worst tyne of political
DEMAGOG and also newspaper
DEMAGOG it has been my exper-
ience to debate, I will say this:
That for Grass nonsense. and as a
"DODGER.'' sHEDGER' a n d
.sEvADER' and an ACCOMPLISH
ED SOPHIST." 7 admit he has no
equal in newspaper circles, and
fear many of his readers are sway
ed by his smooth fluent vocabulary
which is very, good, and his literary
style which is pleasing, rather than
by the argument his articles con-
tain. Whether we like to admit 1t
or not nevertheless it is fact that
too many people are influenced by a
mans style and manner of saying q
thing rather than by what he says;
they accept as gospel truth every
thing he says at face value, without
weighing, investigating or putting
his assertions and personal opin-
ions through the test-tube and lab
oratory of "FACT AND TRUTH .
And the reason that Mr.. Matson has
not gotten anywhere with his po-
litical pitter-patter and intellectual
calisthenics is because he has grown
dizzy chasing himself around in cir
cles. So. let us remember that a
fine literary style is no guarantee of
the TRUTH AND SOLIDITY" of
the doctrine therein contained and
which it sometimes insidiously con-
ceals, being camoufiaged by vituper-
atiOns and abusive personalities
Let us remember that calling people
names and making fun of what Is
said is y most certainly NOT AN
SWERING the arguments. A man
who has had any argument for his
doctrine doesn't have to resort to
abusing his opponent by calling
names. Newspaper writer's should
be careful of what they write, be-
cause people drink of what is said.
but not deeply; they get the ends.
edges and shreds of ideas and
think they are at the heart and CEN
ter of truth. This is plainly evident
by proponents of a certain doctrine
publishing what certain big papers
have to say on the question. The
public mostly forgets that after all.
this is just one mans opinion, his
idea. The editor of a paper does
not express the mind of the public
by any means, he expresses his own;
yet, it is accepted by great numbers
of people especially politicians, as
the "ALPHA AND THE OMEGA"
of the question. People have a great
weakness for mistaking theories of
editors for public opinion, his pri-
vate ideas for the ideas of a great
section of the country, his zeal for
solid public advance and his un-
bounded assurance of his own self
sufficiency for the authority to de-
eide what is politically right and
wrong. The mark of genius has al
ways been modesty, charity. hesi-
fancy, circumspection, carefulness
and humility. Pride, fiery dema-
gogic angry display. egotism and
abuse have always been the bed-fel-
lows of supernciality; but of this