ause of grief, to be animated by implacable hate and to aim at nothing
short of annihilation. Frequently the assailants would lie in wait to
see how the Courier-Journal's cat was going to jump, in order that they
might take the other side; and invariably, even if the Courier-Journal
stood for the reforms they affected to stand for, they began a system of
misrepresentation and abuse. In no instance did they attain any success.

Only once, during the Free Silver craze of 1896, and the dark and tragic
days that followed it the three or four succeeding years, the paper
having stood, as it had stood during the Greenback craze, for sound
money, was the property in danger. It cost more of labor and patience
to save it from destruction than it had cost to create it thirty years
before. Happily Mr. Haldeman lived to see the rescue complete, the tide
turned and the future safe.

VI

A newspaper, like a woman, must not only be honest, but must seem to be
honest; acts of levity, loose unbecoming expressions or behavior--though
never so innocent--tending in the one and in the other to lower
reputation and discredit character. During my career I have proceeded
under a confident belief in this principle of newspaper ethics and an
unfailing recognition of its mandates. I truly believe that next after
business integrity in newspaper management comes disinterestedness in
the public service, and next after disinterestedness come moderation and
intelligence, cleanliness and good feeling, in dealing with affairs and
its readers.

From that blessed Sunday morning, November 8, 1868, to this good day, I
have known no other life and had no other aim. Those were indeed parlous
times. It was an era of transition. Upon the field of battle, after four
years of deadly but unequal combat, the North had vanquished the South.
The victor stood like a giant, with blood aflame, eyes dilate and hands
uplifted again to strike. The victim lay prostrate. Save self-respect
and manhood all was lost. Clasping its memories to its bosom the South
sank helpless amid the wreck of its fortunes, whilst the North, the
benign influence of the great Lincoln withdrawn, proceeded to decide its
fate. To this ghastly end had come slavery and secession, and all the
pomp, pride and circumstance of the Confederacy. To this bitter end had
come the soldiership of Lee and Jackson and Johnston and the myriads of
brave men who followed them.

The single Constitutional bar