THE ANONYMOUS CUR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1222, 2 September 1911, Page 14

THE ANONYMOUS CUR.

•Sir,—ln your last Saturday's issue, you publish no less than 30 letters, •2b of which aro anonymous. Now, sir, I am prepared to admit that there aro many subjects upon which newspaper correspondents may write anonymously, without objection being taken, thereto. When, however, the open columns of a widelyread journal are used by anonymous writers to tho tune of 2G in one issue, and iu tlio majority of eases, to make a personal attack' upon a fellow citizen, surely it is timo to direct attention to tho matter. In my humble opinion tho anonymous attacker of his fellow men is nearly always a liar, and in every instance a cur, and the journal that allows its columns to bo used for such a purpose is very little better. Yr-ur journal, of course, it not the only one that deserves censuro in this connection, but. 26 out of 30 struck me on Saturday as' being a record that calls for protest. If a citizen wishes to belittle, misrepresent, anno.v, ridicule, slander,' or hold up to contempt any public man, in heaven's name let him "play tho man," and sign his nnmo to his letter. The creature who refuses to sign his'naiuo to his attack is either a contemptible cur or he is ashamed of his name. Probably ashamed because of some mystery surrounding his birth, parentage, and registration. We can always admire tho fighter who stands out bravely in tho open, but the low, crawlsome crcature who attempts to assassinate his fellows under cover of darkness is tho lowest of all God's creatures. Sir, why do you not warn tho public that the anonymous writer who seeks to wound his follow men is a self-confessed coward? If writers desire to criticise public men, by all means let them do so. Let such criticism be severe,'- even brutally severe if they wish, but let them also have tho courage of their convictions and opinions, and get out in the open and "play the Britisher." Public men, if they are worth their salt, never cry when criticism travels their way, but they have every reason to complain when attacked by a cur from behind a wall. Sir, I loathe the anonymous attacker of his follow men. Do you respect him ? —I am. etc., W. H. HAWKINS. Pahiatua, August 28, 1011. [We can quite believe that Jlr. Hawkins, who is an ex-member of Parliament, and who is said to still possess political •ambitions, can see no reason for anyone missing any opportunity to secure publicity for himself. Unfortunately, all aro not so happily situated as he is: but is that any reason why_ they should be debarred "from expressing their views on current events, the conduct of public institutions, and the public actions of public men. Tlio correspondence columns of tho newspaper may not always be an accurate reflex of public opinion, but they would lie infinitely less so if they were closed to all who, owing to their occupation or for other good- and valid reasons could not oll'ord to sign their names for publication. Perhaps Jlr. Hawkins would liko to have us "play tho Britisher" and go. back to open voting at election times, and so annihilate tho '"curs" who take advantage of the secret ballot to record their votes on polling day. _ The absurd mis-statement that tho majority of the unsigned letters wero personal attacks does not call for comment—they are on record, and speak for themselves.]