The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-07-24
THE DECLINE OF NEWSPAPER
INFLUENCE. =,

The Times-News discovered this para
graph on the editorial page Of The Charles
ton News and Courier:
"Once was a capable and brilliant editor IN the
Upcountry of South Carolina He is almost 1or-
gotten now His newspaper had total clfcuatloh
of 1900 or 900, but of his subscribers about 2Oo
or 300 were leading men in counties throughout
the state They listened to him because ne was the
voice of the Upcountry, where most of the whlte
population lives Since then the Piedmont country
has never had voice that carried beyond the
Piedmont This editor was Vrginlan by olrtn
ona in the campaign of 1876, boy of twenty, ne
was the intimate and confidential friend OF Wade
HAMPTON. Alfred Williams was his name. There Is
now no newspaper voice heard throughout South
Carolina
While the editorial activities OF Alfred
Williams were principally confined to
South Carolina and his influence was eX-
ercised in that State, no doubt some OF the
very old people of this section OF North
Carolina remember when that able and
fearless man, was engaged in the news
paper business in Greenville, S. c. The
reputation of Williams has survived, al
though he passed from the stage of action
I'M South Carolina many years ago.
The vital matter touched upon IN the
paragraph quoted from The News and
Courier, however, is live subject today,
bat one that is evidently receiving little
thoughtful consideration from the puohc.
The Charleston newspaper makes bold
to publish the statement, There is now no
nswspaper voice heard throughout South
Carolina" South Carolina has no news
paper with Statewide influence-in fact,
the criticism offered by The News and
Courier leads to the conclusion that the IN
flhence of South Carolina newspapers is
not notable or impressive even in local
fields. In South Carolina there is poverty
of-newspaper leadership which draws the
fine of the old Charleston newspaper and
which is not unmerited, according to the
Opinion of an outside and unprecedented
observer. ....- ....,.,
The truth is that The News and Courier's
criticism of South Carolina journalism
could be almost completely and Justly ap-
pied to North Cardinals newspapers.
I'm both States at the present time, news
paper leadership is not conspicuous or I'M
pressive, North Carolina has the best OF II
foe newspaper independence, with special
reference to political parties and public al
fairs; but at that there is no particularly
outstanding newspaper man or newspaper
inrthis State-certainly no newspaper mar
WHO stands out as leader as Alt Williams
stood out in South Carolina.
Not in 1876 or in any other year OF the
history of this country did greater or more
inrpelling opportunities for service exls
than those which today confront the pres
of,the Carolinas and the other States. Ger
tainly, a large majority of our newspaper
are missing these opportunities. What 1
the exp1anation?. The Times-News. be
Heves it is to be attributed, to the milk AM
water policies of the newspapers IN deal
inc with public matters of first magnitude
The paNssIsspaperrs do not stand upland Hsh
asy did the newspapers published by T ,. Al
Williams and other old timers; they do no
evidence the characteristics and quallhca
tions of leadership, consequently they ar
not rated by the public with the response
bi6ties of leadership. g.. ..
In much too large measure our newspa
pers are following the lead of the politi
clans, who tag along with what they con
ceive to be popular voting majorities o
powerfully organized minorities, forget
tirss that leaders must lead, in Journalism
,E.,-S5s sS