The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-04
Pun.

writor in tho December number of The
Gatdry maks somo very good points. in re-
gard to "Tho Morals and Mar ,ers of Jour
nallsnl." The following remarks in deprc-
Gallon Of tho system Of indiscrinnatc puff
inS, in which so many of our newspapers
indulge reflect 30 faithfully The sentiments
oil THE NEWS on tho subject, that VIC repro
duce them for the ediication of our readers
and advertisers:
"I'he most insidious foe TO the la,r G,mc of
journalism is the advertisement desk. Unfor-
tunatcly for tho independence OF journalists.
tho system Of newspaper publication Now Is
that tho paper shall be sold nj u price so low
that little or no profit comes of It's circulation,
which, from u business point Of view, is va,l-
aOle only "s 1t makes tho paper more desir-
able medium Of advertising, from which the
publishers expect to receive their gains 1t
would be well for the honor and independ-
encc of Journalism If not only this system
were abandoned, but If 10 advertisements ut
all were published In newspapers The cor
ruptlon Of the press by this influence is very
groat, and for it tho public arc hardly lcss
responsible thaa the Journalists. If men will
not hesitate to offer u large advertisement
on the condition that It's publication shall he
accompanied bya favorable opinion oil tho
thing OF the project advertised, If they will,
upon Journals taking n course which they
regard rs nimical 10 their interests, withdraw
their regular and necessary advertising from
II, rs was recently done in avery conspicuous
instance by several insurance cor panics, they
| must expect that their demand will cause u sup
nly Of tnn tnriirlN pr pnI ff,f
taste. Tut when they find that in othur re.
spccis that Journalists opinion Is not perfect
Iy trustworthy, tint his Endorsement of some
other man or project is not entirely dlslntcrcst-
I'd, 1t would be well for them 10 remcm.
Der, before they break out into dcnunciation
of the press, that they nrc merely having 1t
metcd to them as they have helped TO mctc
1t To others. Advertisements must be pub
lishcd In newspapers, and the only safe course.
TO pursue in regard to them Is the adoption of
rule, absolute and without exception. thai
nothing in the interest of an advertiser, no mai
ter what his Importance, shall be admitted into
the editorial columns for any consideration.
1t should DO understood, and, IL necessary.
announced, that payment for advertising, how
ever large, secures the advertisement. and
nothing more. This ruIc sh, bo rinilly on
forced, without exception; for until this Is
done, and it is regarded rs dishonorablc TO
'puil' an advertiser, and In bad taste even to
'puif' his horse, Journalism will not be entire
ly free from dcbasing laint which now per-
vMics IL far moro than Is generally suspected.
IL WAS but the other day that tho agent of n
company, bringing fat advertisement 10 7.
paper of standing, and asking q parayraph
In approval of the company's project, and.
botng refused, produced, ~ u good example
To be followed, several articles OF the kind no
asked for, which had appeared In lcudng
Journal, and which Ito owned, In the most mat
ter-0i-ccurse way, that he himsclfhad written
Ofwhat trcal value ore the opinions or that paper
upon financial projects? With what face can
the editors and publishers of that paper ask
the public TO trust them upon any matter In
which there IL money to bc made by the for
mer, and Loaf by the latter? Do Journalists
suppose that this practice can 20 on, and their
profession not suffer in the estimation of every
man who does not regard the getting of
money, no matter how, as the one object or
lllc, the be oil and tho end uli here p Can
tney regard 1t rs consistent with the candor
ana the good faiths without which Journalism
Is but daily imposturc, q systematic n,i-
sance? And ifit Is said that the innocent must
not be coniounded with the guilty, the pure
with tho corrupt, and that the character OF a
whole profession should not be Judged by that
of certain of its members, the reply is that
this Is true, and that therefore the world does
not rate Journalism according to the cxccp-
tonnl virtues ofsomc OF its professors"