PROFESSION AND PRACTICE.

Patea Mail, 5 October 1880, Page 2

PROFESSION AND PRACTICE.

This journal is not a fovorite with some person or persons at Wanganui. Our subscribers there, who are appreciative if not numerous, have made no complaint; but some other persons at Wanganui who read the Mail without paying for it have found it “ a very pure and moral paper.” These objectionable features in the Mail arc pointed out by “a score of contributors ” to the Wanganui Herald. If it takes twenty men to score a small point against the Mail, we ought to herald the performance as a cheap kind of mail-service. The Mail is charged thus :

It denounces “ sentiments discreditable to any professor of public morality.” To that we plead guilty, with extenuating circumstance. The offence occurred thus. The Herald had said :

There is no sympathy in Wellington with the Wanganni harbor works, and wc return the compliment by entertaining the utmost indifference as to the fate of the West Coast line.

Upon that the Mail made this comment :

A sentiment of that kind is discreditable to any professor of public morality. It ignores the common virtues. It is directly contrary to the precept, “ Do unto others as you would they should do unto you.” It is sympathy which must be bought and paid for. It takes no account of right or wrong, but seeks only self. Whether the sentiment of the Herald was worthy of a professor of public morality, the public will be able to judge. If that journal bo not a professor of public morality, there can be no inconsistency between profession and practice. Does it need a score of contributors to demonstrate that?