The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-12-22
NEWSPAPER SUSPENSION-INDEP
DENCE, ETC.

The Daily State Record, of Topeka,
departed this life on the 9th inst. F. P.
Baker, its proprietor and conductor,
publishes q long card, INDUCING in
many pertinent reflections upon its de-
mise, scoring the late purifiers" party
numerically for failing to support it,
protesting against the State of Kansas
entering the field as competitor in the
ranks of journalism, referring to per-
sonal attacks made on him in rather
bitter terms concluding from his ex-
perience, 'that independent journalism
is not success, especially at the Capt.
tai ;" and advising no young man to
enter the editorial profession"
Very much in Mr.. Bakers card is
just and true ; portions of it are neither.
The main and real causes of the Records
| financial failure are, first, that the news
paper business is oVerdone in Kansas,
and second, that individual enterprise
could not compete with the State. We
believe it was the Record which said, a
few weeks ago, that instead of giving
| new papers the usual complimentary
| mention, Kansas journals ought hon.
a folly and their publisher an idiot.
There was a great deal of sense in the
suggestion, SO far as it was meant to pro-
| test against the establishment of any
more papers. There is no doubt of she
fact that there are more than double the
| number of papers published in the
State that the legitimate patronage of
the people can sustain, and if, instead
Of new papers starting up, half of the
old ones would die out, it would be a
blessing for the fraternity as well as
to the people.
The Record, however, was live, in
| anti ssciV Mr
Baker very truly says that nobody ev-
er accused him of being loafer or an
idler. He is an enterprising and ener-
getic publisher, and has published a
lively, readable paper.
But his idea about independent jour-
nalism in Kansas is folly. Indepead-
ent journals can be, and are, published
| in Kansas as well as in any other State.
| There is too prevalent idea abroad in
the public mind, and echoed in the pub
lie press, that an editor is not independ-
emit unless he is constantly "pitching in
to" something or somebody. The fact
is that the pitching in" theory is not
independence, but lack of brains. It
requires neither courage nor capacity
| to "pitch in" A scold is neither brave
nor wise, and one of the "pitch in" style
Is nothing more than 8 Journalistic
scold, destitute alike of pluck and
| judgment 1t very often requires far
more courage and infinitely more ca-
pacity to "pitch out" than to t.pitch in. !"
| 'fFools rush in where wise men fear to
tread" The pitching in" Journalist is
always destitute of common sense, gen.
orally of courage. The people weigh
the bladder, see that it is merely wind,
and they don't "pitch in" with patron
age. They exhibit their courage and
sense, as well as independence, by let
ting it alone. The wind runs out with
the cash, and the bladder, which was so
lately sailing majestically in the air,
SEpitching in" falls to the earth, a fab
by, absurd, dead-beat. This is the gen.
eral history of the Kansas journals that
imagined independence consisted in
pitching in"
| Because newspaper happens to agree
with some public man in sentiment, be-
eau advocates the election of any
| mario Office, or because it sustsins any
officer, is no evidence that it is not sim
dependent" Because a newspaper adj
vocates party, argues for UNFOLDING
party organization, aud sustains the meR
elected by q party, is no evidence that il
is not independent" Yet it is often
assumed, without the shadow of reason
or sense to support the assumption,
that q newspaper must be destitute OF
independence because it agrees with
some public man, supports and defends
some officer, or manifests friendship
for some abused public servant The
truth is that in pursuing such course
it may be actuated by the highest and
noblest independence and courage, and
the best and clearest judgment. livery
often takes more pluck and sense to
! agree than to disagree with an idea OF
man. The mere fact of agreeing OF
disagreeing with any one, supporting
| or opposing any one, advocating or re-
sisting any idea, does not constitute
Independence"
q We make these remarks with no spe
cia1 reference to the Record in it.
course, but simply in reply to what W
esteem wrong idea expressed in it
publishers card.-Atchis0H Champion