Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-17
PERSONAL CONTROVERSIES IN THE
NEWSPAPERS.

w the abuses Of journalism which have
tended 70 degrade the American press and
destroy its usefulness IN q great measure none
are more worthy Of condemnation than tina
personal controversies which formerly filled
column after column of the newspapers. but
happily are disappearing in some quarters
WIN tne growth OF healthier public senti.
menI "nen the persons engaged in such dis.
ereditaoie business occupy prominent positions
before the public, their personalities may ffna
large number of readers, who relish such
wordy contests, and want TO know the worst
tney can say Of each other. But when Jones
OF the weakly Truth Avoider, attacks Smith
OF tne Scraooletown Sockdolager, in q column
Of bilingsgate, and Smith retorts in two col.
umns Of slang, winch leads to other columns of
scurrility and balderdash, il 10 simply ridden.
LOUIS The public, beyond their limited circle
,ooes not care to know whether
Jones got his shirt washed last week or not or
whether Smith attends High or Low Church.
Enough matters Of importance are continually
ranspiring in the world. even in these dull
times 70 MI the columns Of the largest papers
with daily budget of interesting news, and
unless Smith can demolish his Antagonist in .
brief paragraph, he had better let HIM alone.
Notoriety IS generally the goal at which these
Weak-minded brethfen aim, and they will
attain 1t If possible at any cost. Singulariy
enough, too. there are papers which are too
nice 10 publish the current news of the day IL
II does not square with their peculiar ideas of
propriety, which would expurgate the Bible
and reconstruct Shakespeare, and vet which
are not AZ all too dignifed to print the most
OFFENSIVE and slanderoas personal attacks. The
Methodist OF last week. in an article hsaded
professional Rivalries," deals some hard
blows at these journalistic trickstsrs and hypo
cTIts, sayisg, amsDg other things:
with some men there seems to be an ut,er
lhanlilty or indisposition to discriminate be-
tween men and principles, ana their In variable
habit In controversy Is to gain ascendancy for
their principles by traducIng those who NAV
chance 20 dirfer from them. II they can but
turn ridicule upon foe, or by any possible
little Nth with which to soll the reputation, il
As more to their taste and purpose than any
amount Of augmentation
We cannot better close our remarks on this
subject than by quoting the following para.
graphs, which occur in the excellent leading
srticle in the New York Tunes Of the Sd inst,
from the pen OF the veteran journalist, Bige.
low, on taking editorial charge of that paper:
"Inere Is method Of advocating a cause by
oenouEcipS its enemies. which may be, and
oI,en Is, carried TO excess, especially by youth.
IuI parusans- III Is not by harsh names nor by
persistent ueuac1oD thar men are persuaded to
doandon their opinions, and those who apply
tnat sort OF warfare are usually less intent on
gaming proselytes than in making q public or
partisan merit Of their gal No one is ar 10
De guide 10 public opinion who mas not
learned that the bad men are not generally
quite go bad, nor the good men quite so good
Is me incorporate partisan is disposed TO be-
lleye him. and soft words often dissolve prsiu-
dlCes and errors in our adversaries which yio-
fence al oetraction render solid and imperish.
doie. Editors can never have a bet
ter excuse than the qualification of personal
vanity Tor washing their dirty linen IN public
Ihey are simply organs Of public opinion, and
Snry are iaise 10 their position when they are
betrayed Into an abandonment of their Inner
sonality.'