Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-02-23
The Typographical Union and the Press.

The Typographical Union n the Press.
We hail with joy the establishment
of Typographical Union at Portland
1t has longbccn urgently demanded. A
nucleus is now formed, around wlicl
we hope will rally the entire craft o
Oregon, for We are confident that moth
ing will tend more to the elevation o
the spirit of the press than this union
Of the working-class. Perhaps no jour
nails, as a class, in any portion of thu
world, occupy as low and %unenviablt
a position, both ut home and abroad, Il.
those of Oregon. We do not speak at
random-too long have we witnessed
their bancful and malicious personal
attacks to havca doubt upon the matter
When the sacred shrine of the home
circle is invaded, and its innocent vic.
Tins arc dragged forth and exhibited
to the public gaze, because, forsooth,
the head of that family may have i'll
cured the vile ~displcasurc of the
great avenger Of the editorial tripod
then, we can no longer doubt,-whcn
the dead, whose errors should he buried
with them in their graves, are dragged
forth and their faults hurled into the
very faces of the dcfcncclcss and ago.
nizcd wife and family We can no
longer doubt. And when the fair fame
of woman is tradnccd, innocence re-
vilcd, religion .jccrcd and tauntcd, and
honest mel are branded as knavcs-
then, we ask, do not these ills call
loudly for redress? Such has been
the policy of II portion of the press in
Oregon, and disastrous has been the
result. 1t is folly to deny that the
press does to a great extent mould
public opinion. AS no ~ can asso-
ciatc with the dcpravcd and remain
spotless, so none can long breathe this
atmosphere of corruption without be-
coming contaminated. The strongest
mind is sometimes swaycd by a mere
child, and mighticst intcllects are often
moved by a passing caprice.
Therefore these journals have not
only omitted their prescribed duty to-
wards the elevation of popular and So
cial sentiment, but have had a directly
opposite effect.
The Printers Union VIC predict will
in a few years have wrought Il wonder
full change in the tone of tie Oregon
journals. The first object of the Union
is to adopt and enforce a uniform scale
Of prices, and this will eventually result
in a decrease Of the number of IRE
sponsible "man-organs," started by
every political trickster who has Gan
AK to grind" There is a class of ap-
prcntices who "graduatc" after three
months service, and to these boys, who
probably work for their board, are these
papers indebted for their feeble exist
cncc. This association will, to a great
extent, prevent the admission of ap-
prcnticcs into the offices, unless bound
by regular indcntures for a term OF
years. AS soon as these feeble attempts
at journalism have been blotted out, the
patronage of q better class of papers
will be increased, and public confidence
restored intheir permancncy-the prin.
ter can expect to receive his wages, and
not become the victim Of the swindling'
institutions, which owe their existence
to such men as Joseph II. Lane and
his confcdcrates. When this is accom-
plished, talent will be employed, and
we will have courteous, digni1ied, influ'
entail journals; but never until Time
chronicles their demise, will certain
papers be free from malignant vitupcr
alton and abuse-the Entertainments Of
the men who control them.
Again we say-for the sake of decen'
cy, the well-being Of society, and tho
dignity of the Art Prescrvative- Viz
Union.
M" The house of +. Giddings, jr., caught o,
fire on Thursday afternoon from a auc. Very lit