J.C. Taylor of Como Responds to Editorial, Oct. 3, 1919

From the front page of the Hertford County Herald, Ahoskie, N.C., Oct. 3, 1919

J.C. Taylor of Como Makes Reply to Editor Johnson’s Editorial. . . Censures Baptist Editor for Refusal. . . Charity and Children Would Not Publish His First Article

The following letter was written in answer to an editorial that appeared in the Charity and Children a few weeks ago. In the above mentioned article Mr. Johnson, editor of the Charity and Children, was anxious to know if Mr. Taylor was attempting to save the Democrat Party; and, he also wondered if Mr. Taylor had a son in France.

The letter follows:

I note your communication in the Charity and Children of September 11^th, referring to my article appearing in the Hertford County Herald of August 29^th. I deem it unfair for you, after refusing to publish my article, to use that paper in making any comment or reference to my article, an article that was forced by you to the Herald for publication. The two papers have a different circulation. It would have been far better for you to have published the article, then followed with such comment as seemed proper to you.

The course pursued does not give your readers any idea as to the contents of my article nor what you are writing about. I cannot see any connection at all between what you had to say and my article. You squarely missed the issue. The burden of my entire article was a defense of the Charity and Children. I refer you especially to the first and two last paragraphs. It is with reluctance that I am making reply to what you have said in your paper of the 11^th and would not but for the desire insinuated to know something about my personal family and political affiliation, etc., all of which I am glad to give you.

--I have two children—a son and a daughter. The son is a chemist and Bacteriologist and at the declaration of war was an employee of the Dupont Powder Works. He registered in Virginia and was one of the first soldiers sent to Camp Lee. He entered as a private, but it was soon discovered that he knew something about bacteriology, and he was removed to the laboratory of the Base Hospital, and was soon promoted to sergeant, then to lieutenant in the Sanitary Camp, for special training in modern war laboratory work. After finishing his course, he was sent to Camp Grove, Pa., consigned to the Mobile Laboratory, A.E.F., France, there to await orders for embarkation.

The Armistice was signed while he was thus detained and much to his regret he did not go to France. So, I did not have a son there.

My daughter was a loyal member of the Red Cross and did her bit.

---I am an unadulterated Democrat.

--No, Mr. Johnson, I have never had the least fear that the great Democrat party of this country with its millions and multi-millions of supporters could be damaged by Charity and Children.

Now, Mr. Editor, I hope you will accept what I have written in the spirit which I am writing. I assure you that the Orphanage and the Charity and Children has no truer friend than the writer, and assuring you that my former article, as well as the above, was written with the best of intentions and feelings.

Very respectfully,

J.C. Taylor