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Show The following Is a piece of "hot stuff" from the pen of a, man who knows newspapers and who also knows their readers. If the readers of tho The Republican, and other papers as well, will read this, then cut it out and paste it In their bonnets, It will serve a good purpose. Newspapers as a whole come In for an enormous amount of criticism from Ignoramuses Ignora-muses who couldn't run a wheelbarrow, wheelbar-row, nor conduct a patent medicine almanac and naturally this finally becomes nauseating. Tho Republican, like some others, gets a little of this "know-it-all" Jargon and wo offer the following for the consideration of that class of individuals. A newspaper Is like a man because, generally It rcllects some man and it should be Judged as a man should bo Judged; largely and on the whole. No man lives a perfect life; no editor prints a perfect paper. If an editor is honest he is bound to offend someone some-one every day of his life; if he doesn't offend someone, tho editor is namby-pamby namby-pamby and llabby. Tho same thing is true of the average man. A newspaper news-paper Is bound to mako mistakes; in getting news it must necessarily tako hear-say. But If, in the long run and in tho main, day after day and year after year a paper stands for decency, for honest thinking and clean living, if it speaks fair for those who aro trying try-ing to do good, and condemns sneaks and cheats and low persons, that Is a good paper. Every newspaper and every man has to ask for charity from its friends. If a man or a newspaper got its deserts life would bo a series of miseries. Every man takes moro from life, than he gives; ho is in the red at the bank of public kindness, for no one can give to mankind all he takes from civilization, civiliza-tion, which is mankind's gift to him. The same again Is true of a newspaper. It is weak and human In errors; it gets much from the times that now arc; it gives less to them than they do it. The modern newspaper could not have run In other times. So when tho reader condemns a newspaper he should stop and think what would happen if he, too, wero judged on his merits with all tho truth about him known of men. The faults of the newspaper news-paper arc plain after the paper Is out. A man's faults may be hidden. There aro deeds done In darkness. But the newspaper cannot do them: what it does for good or 111 must be done In the sight of all men. So when you llnd something In your homo paper or any other that displeases you, gentle reader, hold your temper and your tongue; think what would happen If tho editor knew everything you did and said. And If tho Lord could forglvo Mary of Magdalene-Judging Magdalene-Judging her In a largo way, crediting her many virtues and her good deeds against those that wero weak, may not erring human men, overlook an occasional three lino Item that they dislike In their family newspapers". |