The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-08-03
License of Language in Newspapers. )"

The editor of the Cambridge Chronicle
has relieved US of a task the performance of
which we have long felt to beyour duty as an
advocate of good morals, but which, from
one cause and another, we have postponed
and neglected TO execute. The task alluded
to is the reprimanding of certain of our ex-
changes for employing impure and repre-
hensble language in their editorials, parti
cularly in their local columns, for which they
deserve to be, and are, -execrated by every
pure tongued and pure minded man and
woman in the community where these papers
are printed. We abhor the practice, as all
people of refined feelings and cultivated
tastes do, and feel grateful that Mr.. Smithe
has taken the Taurus by the horns at so
early date after settling In this county, for
if any one is equal to the emergency OF sub
DUNG the animal it is Smith who spells
the name with an e. We regard it as pc
culiarly fortunate for the readers of newspa-
pers in Cambridge village, over the whole
of which the Chronicle circulates with great
profuseness, that the worthy and gentleman
ly editor of that influential journal should
have attacked the enemy rather than that
one welding less trenchant pen should have
done so There can be no doubt that broth.
er Smithe's article will have a strong reform
atory influence on neighboring editors who
have been in the harness great deal longer
than he has. There viii be a radical change
in the tone of the local columns of the pa
pers intended to be hit-"one in Henry
county, and one in Rock Island city"-and
an immediate abandonment of the lowlived
language which the Chronicle and the Re
public so strongly deprecate, and which those
papers regard as totally unfit for family use.
The courage which Mr.. Smithe exhibits in
attacking, these old, and hitherto rather pop
ular editors is worthy of the highest com
incubation, besides whicI it demonstrates
that that gentleman Was not Aborn. in the
his hosts of warm personal friends will Be
highly grati6ed to learns 90 xsg,
The rebuke of the Ckros5rze lis znaerited
and timely, and comes with excellent grace
from gentlemen who is six weeks resident
in the county. IF our assistance is of any
consequence, he can have 1t in the praise
worthy work of reforming the knights of the
quill, and in bringing Them 70 realizing
sense OF their duty to the public and their
patrons. We shall work shoulder to shoula.'
efwath Mf hnIthe until the Angean stables
are cleaned. and though we do not sport
"mutton-leg" whiskers, We are vain enough
to believe that our profferea aid will not be
rejected. Again We thank orr excellent
TREND Smlthe Ior MS manly attack on the
crying evil of too great laxity IN the. on,
ployment of language by few of ser az.
changes, md we again extend I'd him on Z
humble aid in prosecuting the grand worls
of reform. We have always COMMANDED, in
our feeble way, that only the very puresi
Queens English should be used by editors
in their writings, particularly in their local
columns, but a few Of our exchanges-sone in
Henry county and one in Rock Island city
have persisted in the use of low slang not
outstanding our labors to reform them in
tins respect What wehave failed to accom-
plish, we are satisfied that our friend Sm;fhe
of the Chronicle, with his more powerful and