The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1907. BACKBONE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3758, 2 March 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1907. BACKBONE.

The trials and tribulations of a country newspaper proprietor are many. If he criticises the actions of members of local governing bodies, although he may esteem them personally, in many cases he is boycotted by those criticised and a request is forwarded to “ stop my subscription amounting to a few shillings a year. If one business gets a “ puff ” and another doesn’t, the aggrieved one threatens to withdraw from advertising and get his printing done out of the town. A thousand and one other things does the newspaper man have to contend with. If he is honest and endeavours to strike out for all that is best, oppose the wrong and uphold the right —he simply smiles at the contemptuous threats of nar-row-minded and gilt-edged bullies. We have been bullied and threatened in times past —not in this district —for following a policy that we contend is for the uplifting of our fellows, and we survived, and what is more, can refer with pardonable pride to the fact that it won for us the esteem of all lovers of equity and fair dealing. If a public man or body of men are criticised it is only what they must expect, otherwise they have no right to seek public positions. The man who is too thin-skinned for public criticism should content himself with private life. But to adopt the contemptible alternative of boycott borne of

a vindictive and stunted spirit, is unmanly. Some journalists have as much moral backbone as a jelly-fish, and are prepared to sacrifice principle and manhood for pelf — we despise all such. We are inspired to write thusly by reason of the treatment at present being meted out to a newspaper proprietor not very far removed from this district, whose outspoken criticism has caused certain creatures to squirm and they are doing their utmost to injure him and his journal.