Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-06-24
Hon. Charles w. MiIInrd,s Remarks.


Mr.. Willard expressed his regret that he
had neglected to prepare an essay to be read
at this time before the association, but if the
chairman and gentlemen would indulge him
he would in a desultory way, submit few
observations upon the duty of the press to the
public.
Any person, he said, can establish a news.
paper. No preparation is deemed necessary
as preliminary to entering the editorial pro-
tession-at least none is required by the craft
or demanded by the public in Vermont. In
other professions, those who already hold Gre
dentials demand of all new corners preimin.
airy course of study, to be evidenced by a care
full and thorough examination The physician,
the lawyer, the teacher, the clergyman, must
submit their qualifications to appointed exam
liners, before they are recognized as regularly
authorized to engage in their work. Yet,
important as may be the office off teacher or
clergyman, the influence ola newspaper is far
greater. The clergyman addresses his audi.
ence of few hundred once week, the editor
addresses his thousands every week. Mr..
Beecher's sermons, borne on the wings of the
press, are brought home to millions who never
heard and never will hear his voice. Yet
how many persons without experience, and
with little thought respecting the mighty en-.
gine which they are setting in notion assume
the responsibilities of publishing newspaper.
The result might have been foreseen. The
press is upon too low level. We all consider
how we can make a paying newspaper, rather
than how we can make the best newspaper.
| We do not so much try to instruct our readers
| and unula tho mould kattn, l.. A.
our own pockets. We pander too much to
yitiated and depraved tastes, if our papers
will thereby sell. We keep back the truth,
or turn it into lie, through fear of disaffect.
ing some Of our subscribers. Non of us are
so perfect that there is no room for improve
ment in these respects.
Mr. Willard said that an editor and rub
Usher should make a neios paper. This should
be the first and highest consideration Our
State papers would find it profitable, and
improve their papers, by giving full State and
local news. They cannot compete with city
papers in general news or editorial discus
sions, and must soon be crowded from the
field, unless they give the news which can be
got nowhere else but in their columns. There
should be editorial ability and well selected
knowledge; and politics should be fearlessly
aud independently dealt with. The editors
object should be to instruct, lead, guide, di-
rect and control the minds of his readers, and
not merely cater to tastes, good or bad as the
case may be- not merely reflect public opin-
ion, nor go with the popular current.
Mr. Willard spoke, in this connection, of
the great good which might be accomplished
by editors so far bursting party trammels as
to declare the honest conviction of their own
Judgments in respect to the platform and can
didates of their parties, and not praise their
party friends and party acts with partisan
partlality, nor condemn their political adver-
sarles with partisan uniairness. He believed
politics would be purified of its most corrupt
elements, and the country be put in the hands
OF wiser aud more honest legislators and ex-
ecutves, if party and its success were reck-
oned of less account, and truth, and righteous.
ness, and justice, and honesty, in party friends
as well as party foes, were demanded with
the solemn emphasis of an outspoken, unset
hsh, untrammeled honest press.
Mr.. Willard also toached, briefly, upon
what he characterized as the eulogistic, and
often overdone praise of officials, and of al.
most everybody of whom our newspapers have
any occasion to make pleasant mention; aud
he hoped to see a diminution, both in degree
and quantity, of these complimentary adiec-
tiyes in personal paragraphs lest by their fire..
quent use, applied to all sorts Of persons, they
should lose their power in places where really
deserved.
lie also condemned the too common habit
Of putting everybody who advertses or gets
job OF work done, or distributes free tickets
to concerts, theatres, shows, circuscs, ahd the
like. Newspapers should never sell, for any
money or other consideration, an editorial
opinion which the editor is not ready, consci.
entiousy, and with his most intimate and in.
telligent friend, to stand by. He should new
er defend a bad cause for hire.
The personalities, sometimes growing into
acrimony and bitterness, which all papers are
much too often guilty of, came ia for share
Of the speakers censure. He deprecated all |
OF it. His own paper, he feared had not
been always free from it, but he endeayored
to make it teacher and instructor to the pub.