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Show UTON I ANNineteen TwelveBut we have not catered to popular sentiment when convinced that it was wrong. We have condemned actions that seemed improper to us, even though we realized that unpleasantness might result. This we conceive to be the duty of anyone holding student office. If the students show enough confidence in a man to place him in a responsible position, they surely expect him to have positive opinions. At times his opinions may clash with the popular sentiment, and then, if he is sure he is right, he must either stand out against the popular clamor or truckle. If he does the latter, of course, he is not a leader-he is a nonenity. The true leader endeavors to mould as well as to interpret public opinion.Our reporters have uniformly endeavored to give all the pertinent news in the briefest possible space. This rule of brevity was born of a belief that the majority of Chronicle readers have not time or taste for padded news, which must necessarily be in large part "balderdash." Partially as a result of the news policy, and partially as a result of inclination, much space has been given to editorials. What effect Chronicle editorials have produced we are unable to say. We are convinced, however, that any student will find that careful thinking and responsibility develops a wonderful unanimity of opinion among all true friends of the University as to what promotes the highest interests of the institution.Out of our experience we know of only one concrete rule that can be transmitted to our successors: "Take advice. If you have an idea, take it to good counsellors; submit it even to ultra-conservative advice, to be sure that you observe all sides of the question. If, after careful consideration and discussion, you still believe that you have an idea worth publishing, print it." Many ideas, this year, have gone into the Chronicle waste basket because they could not stand the above test. And yet we feel that we have been as independent as is consistent with good sense. The Chronicle staff has enjoyed the year, and maintained a full measure of self-respect.120 |