The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-04-26
journalism.

What fire cannot save, nor cold water lave,
There's still virtue left US in salt
---<.zsls--------
journalism.
Mr.. Whitelaw Reid, the manag-
ing editor of the New York Iri5unh,
delivered a lecture on journalism,
before the New York University, in
New York City, few evenings since
which was, as is everything from
him with which he takes pains, an
able and polished composition. In
it he says very gracefully great
many fine things, as witness the
following;
The great want of newspapers,
however, is not good writer's, but
good editors; and it is of their pos
sible training in school of journal
ism, to be appended to the regular
college course as one of the addi-
tional features of university instruc-
ton, like the school of mines, or med
cine, or law, that l have been asked
to speak. There are needed reforms
in the profession which, under such
influences, we may hope the sooner
to attain. First among these l
reckon an increasing sense of re-
sponsibility for the printed word,
thrown heedlessly from the weary
pen at midnight, but borne with the
daybreak to the attention and con
fidence of $4,000 homes to
mend or mar some mans honest
name. With this will come an in
creasing sense of the wrong every
editor does the whole profession
who permits His press to become the
vehicle either for actual slander or
for that reckless trifng with char
acter and that invasion of personal
concerns which make so marked a
feature of many of our most success
full newspapers. l look, indeed, for
an absolute revolution IN the atti-
tude fthe whole respectable press
toward the laws against slander and
libel. 1t has been common to re-
gard these as laws for the prosecu-
tion of the press, and such hun
dred years ago they certainly were.
But to-day they ought to be among
the most valuable agencies for its
protection. I, for one, rejoice in the
Institution Of every libel suit for
which there is color of justification;
and count every fair conviction for
libel gain to the cause of decent
journalism. We loose standing and
influence because our liberty runs in
to license. Were every clear SIAN
der, whereof correction on due ap.
plication and proof has been refused,
remorselessly prosecuted to convic-
ton and inexorable punishment, we
should have reason to canonize alike
prosecutor and judge. No higher
service can be rendered journalism
to-day than by making it responsible
for what it says, and giving the hum |
blest citizen whom its gigantic DOW
er may purposely wrong easy and |
cheap justice. My private opinion |
is that the press of New York, dur
ing some months past, would have |
been vastly helped by a libel suit a |
day. If the journal with which |
am myself connected came in for its
share of them, SO mnch the better.
1t would have been deserved dis
clpline if we have done any man
''rong and refused correction. 1t
would make easier the business of
caution and fair dealing on
5he hundred assistants whose iudg-
ments must be more or less trusted
n making up every issue. 1t would
give to every word we did utter an
additional weight, and it would de-
1rlye the bad men we exposed of ,
heir present ready answer, ooh, that
loesn't amount to anything; the a
newspapers abuse everybody" It's
IN i'll day for journalism when people
lon't care what the newspapers say :
igainst them. 1t is an i'll day for f
he country when people do care ?
nd cannot get their wrongs re :
ressed. 1t will be better for both
7hen justice is cheap and journalism . .
just 2