The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-07-23
Disceii
journalism.

not suffi, iently realizing sense of the
favored position they hold in the world,
nor Of the manifold blessings by which
they are surrounded-blessings which are
exclusively our own, and denied 20 the
rest Of the world. Our vast extent of
cheap and fertile lands, our system OF
universal education, our free press, relig.
ious freedom, popular government, and
the absence OF great standing army, are
blessings inestimable, that we cannot too
highly value; aud they need to be watch
ed over with sleepless vigilance, and with
due sense of the responsibility incurred
by the possession Of gifts so great, and
such as have been vouchsafed by Heaven
to no other people Oh the face of the
earth.
Not the least among those peculiar
privileges which lie at the foundation Of
The prosperity Of our community and the
happiness of our people, is Tree press.
With US the press has high Office and
important duties to fulfill. Perhaps, Of all
our institutions, not excepting even those
Of universal education and religious free.
dom, the press is the most important, and
capable of performing the greatest good
when rightly controlled, as well as inflct-
iBg the most terrible evil should it be-
come corrupt and licentious.
The press of the United States is al
ready Literally endowed with ability, en-
terprise and energy. To so great an ex-
tent are its conductors anxious to excel
in these respects, that the most success
fol Of them, aud those in the most ia
yOred positions. are generally found, year
after year, spending all the profits of their
business in improvements involving large
ly increased expenditure. To 50 great an
extent is this course pursued, that many
OF our newspaper proprietors not uufre-
quenl y 90 into GU lays which do not re-
turn to them, or even furnish to the CON-
muuity, 1.-THE of the value OF the expen-
dllure Incurred.
But with all this, the press is not what
1t ought to bs in this country, and while
there is ample room for Improvement,
there is no little danger of deterioration.
|. needs, above all things, more elevated
tone of idiness, impartiality, discrimiua-
ton aud generosity; aud a thorough re-
iorm Of much that is now liable 10 cen
sure, AZ superficial and nnsound, or under
the Influence of selfishuess and prejudice.
The excessive competition which often
pervades the newspaper press, as well
as all other departments Of business, is
Chargeabie with many Of its faults. But
there are others which arise from the fact
that our journals almost Invariably ally
themselves to some particular clique,
either political, social, moral or religious,
aud becoms, to great extent, the organs
and the instruments used for the personal
Advancement and the ambitious designs
OF The leaders of such parties and cliques.
As consequence ofthis many of our hest
journals are precluded from exhibiting or
discussing more than one side of ques-
Ton, unless, indeed, they may be re-
CURED to misrepresent the other side.
Ii seems to be generally expected that
anewspaper must with all the ardor Of
partlzAnship, enter the lists in support
either OF some great party or OF some pet
V,elique of adventures that it must ex-
'oI aud glorIfy every measure and every
man OF lis party or clique, however ques-
uonaoie may be the policy of the meas
u'e OF the honesty and capacity OF the
man. As a corollary of this il follows
,nAt every thing at home or abroad, in
heaven above or the earth beneath, in
'1eoFy or practice, in religion or philos1-
pny' which is likely 10 exert even the
slightest unfavorahle influence upon the
uesshS OF the partisan demagogues or the
esotlstical opiuionated leaders who have
ssch press under their thumbs, must be
distorted, perverted and denounced.
IL has come to pass that a man who
sseAS to take part in public life, or one
supposed IN any sense to be a rival Of
ambitious aspirsnts, is sure to meet at
every turn with misrepresentation, sour
"IAy and falsehood, thrown like mud
pOh MIN by some OF those with whom
~ may differ 10 opinion, or who, per-
viauee' suppose that the expression of his
.i'~S may be an obstruction in their path
way 10 Power or the means of preventing
penny from falling into their pockets,
= aAn may not question the expediency
" tue Justice of any favorite plan Of his
f ,S' exhibit any mignanimity towards
80 s" opponents, nor utter an opinion oil
Oue VINO lived thousand years ago. OF
Gerhing the character OF people who
az the antipodes, aud Of whom nine
L Iuuufed and ninety nine in a thousand
; Isre Know little or nothing, without find-
himself denounced for it in opnrobri-
Su' terms, by perhaps both friends and
10y S For the indulgence even of some
TD"e est expression of opinion, as true a,
~ rs ,Dlole, but happening to run counter
~1ne popular current Of the day. many
~ honest and valuable citizen has beer
Dseissd, aud bis place supplied BY thOs'