Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-03-20
MISSION OF THE PRESS.
[FrOm the Now Jerscy Mcdaniel


The great political parties, into
which our people are divided, find it
necessary to maintain one or more DO.
litical journals in every county to
rouse their adherents to action and to
keep them advised in reference TO To-
cal, state and national politics. The
potency of the press, as a political
agent, is fully recognized and with
the immense power which it wiclds, q
commensurate responsibility is neces.
sarily assumed by those who conduct
it.
Upon most public measures the two
great political parties of this country
are divided in opinion, and the news
papers of each are thus constantly ar
rayed against each other. With too
many editors the fact that the party
to which they adhere has taken one
side of q question. is sufficient TO de-
tcrmine their position. They seem to
regard themselves as bound to sup
Port the views taken by those whom
they recognize as party leaders, and
they voluntarily assume the attitude
which lawyer takes when he accepts
a retainer. The consequence is that
public measures are not always dis.
cussed with that honest freedom of
thought which should be the rule in q
republic. What is demanded Of the
partizan press Of this country, is q
bold and manly discussion of all polit-
ical questions. What is most needed
by all who engage in political contro-
versy is loyalty to the truth, no mat
ter where the evidence may lead or
what may bo the effect upon party
organizations. The man who is not
ready and willing to follow truth be-
yond the narrow limits of party, must
necessarily be an unsafe political
counsellor, and such one can never
feel the proud consciousness of being
perfectly honest man.
A party strongly cntrenched in pow
er may commit many wrong acts with
impunity, even in q representative
government such as ours, if the news.
papers which adhere to it are serviie
supporters instead Of being free and
bold censors. 1t is great mistake
for the newspaper press of any party
to hold a subservient position. Our
best friends are those who tell us freely
Of our faults, and the best friends any
political party in this country could
have, would be press sufficiently in
dependent TO sound the note Of alarm
when any improper measure was pro.
posed, and sufficiently honest TO de-
nounce every form of corruption whom.
ever and wherever il might appear.
The curse of our politics, and the
most menaciDg enemy of our govern
ment, is that blind, partisan bigotry
which is born Of selfintcrest. The
enemies of true and substantial reform
are the men who fear that their party
may suffer from the exposure Of this
or that corruption. The press ought
to break all such shackles end rise TO
a frecr and noblcr life; but IL does not
do 30. For years past, upon The ad-
journmcnt of our state legislature, the
political newspapers of the state,
without respect TO party, have COM
mentcd severely upon the general do.
moralization Of members; and yot,
when the very worst men Of each
party have been renominated, voters
have been urgedsto stick to the ticket
aud to deposit their ballots without a
scratch upon them. Thus do base
men enlist party prejudice and party
organization in their defense and sup.
port, instead of being held up topublic
cxecration, and driven from public life,
as they deserve to be.
1t must not be supposed that public
opinion in any party will rise above
the standard which is set by It's press
Had the press done its whole duty ia
the past, so many of the best mon in
each party would not be found shrink
ing from any entrance upon ,hc polit
ical arena. Representative govern
ment is based upon the assum ptior
that the people will select of thcil
number tho wiscst and best mon, ant
have these devote their services to th,
public veal; but our politics hav
}. fallen info such evil disorder that few
Of our best men can be induced TO be
come candidates for office They will
not stoop TO the means which ar
necessary 10 secure nomination
Gnthe's aphorism that "socicty is
conspiracy for tho success Of fools an,
knaves," can soon be truthfully ap
piled TO us, unless tho prevalent ton
J, dcncy to Generalization shall bo d
Is rested. Bad and incompetent me
must DO taught that they cannot OF