The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-20

Springfield Republicans through which he
has wrought. The talk about "imperson-
al" journalism is all bosh. There is and |
can be no such thing. 1t is true that a
newspaper may be owned by individuals,
Il company or corporation, but each in
diyidual member of the company or cor
poration cannot be responsible for the
uttcrances Of the newspaper published by
them, because, of necessity, they are ig-
norant of what 1t is to say, and, it would
be strange, indeed, if they should all hap
pen to agree upon the topics discussed
even, if they were consulted. There al
ways is and must he responsible head to
every newspaper. We say this much, be-
cause there has been so much talk about
''impersonal' journalism, and the deca-
dence of the influence of the press on ac-
count of want of responsibility for opin-
ions stated, and because we have given
credit to Mr.. Bowes for the good work ac-
complishcd by the Repu5iican. Indeed,
Mr.. Bowles, in letter which has sug-
gcstcd this article admits his response
biliiy, in these words "lIold responsible
g for the daily criticisms of journal, at
" least flee in its opinions of men and
" measures and parties" etc. Hence we
say, in speaking of the RepubHcdn, that
Samuel Bowles contributed largely to bring
around this state of affairs His criticisms
''of men and measures and parties" have
been free-often just and often, in our
judgment, unjust. He has labored long
and zealously and struck many sturdy.
singing blows against nominations
mot fit to he made" lie has labored in
ccssantly, in season and out of season, to
force home the fact that the best men were
in honor and duty bound, to lay aside all
personal and selfish considerations, and ac-
cept Office, not for their own or the Offices
sake, but for the sake of their fellow citi-
Zens and the good of the country He has
often claimed-and we all know that it is
true, because it is matter of every day
observation-that we cannot expect good
government, until the people take the CON
troll of politics out of the hands of poll
ticians, the best men will consent to attend
caucuses, primaries and conventions, and
will, also, ut personal sacrifice it may be,
accept the offices which must he filled by
some one
Only Tuesday, the leading editorial in
the Rcpajiiccn commenced with these
words; "Thc duty of every citizen to per
" form his share in the maintenance of the
- government cannot be too strongly
= stated. He should vote always, and as
- effectively and wisely as possible, and
g he should take office, high or low. when
. called upon to do so. 1t may be incon-
s. vcnient and burdcnsome and expensive.
9 sometimes, but it is the price he pays for
the blessings Of good government" Fol-
lowing along in the same strain, in the
same paragraph, are these words That
" many citizens-and often those who are
" the most intelligent and flttest for the
" business-shirk these duties, is not only
Z" Il public misfortune but public danger
" The failure of free government lies be-
tween this and the growth of personal
corruption" Is there any doubt about
the truth of these words? To illustrate it
most fully let us 90 outside of politics, and
see in reference to the discharge of another
public duty, rendered incumbent upon
every citizen, not only by the laws of the
land, but by the personal interest of each
and every citizen. We refer to the duty of
citizens to serve rs jurors. The law re-
quires that every citizen, under. certain
regulations, shall serve as Juror. In
cases where the life or liberty of citizen
is involved, it is matter of .abso-
lutte necessity that our best and most inteli-
gent men shall stand between the state and
the accused. If the accused is guilty, his
life or liberty is forfeit to the state if in
nocent he must 90 free, without stain or
blemislb How important, then, that those
qualified should respond to the call of the
state! The same consideration applies to
trials where property or pecuniary damages
are alone involved. Every citizen is liable
to require a jury of his fellows to deter
mine his rights, and is, therefore. interest
ed in the purity and Intelligence of the
jury box. Our citizens do not respond
quite as freely, perhaps, rs they ought,
bat, after all, the jurors who serve in the
courts Of Vermont are of our best and
most intelligent citizens. No Juror can,
of course, make money out of this duty,
but he serves the state, because it, is a duty
thereto. Herein lies one great reason why
our laws are so correctly administered, so
few criminals escape, and innocent accused
go free. The difference has been manifest
in New York city for years There only
the most ignorant, the most vicious and the
most idle would do jury duty, the best
citizens Sinking the duty. The result was
notorious, and we need not dwell thereon.
The same effect and the same danger eX-
tends all the way up, as Mr. Bowles so
truly expresses.
"These' says the Repu6lican, ''are OBJ
"vious reasons, but they need frequent
land hearty enforcement" True they do,
and Samuel Bowles, as editor, as respon-
slble Tor the utterances of the Springfield
Hepu0hcdh has given them most "frequent
land hearty enforcement There ought
to be no difference between the actions,
sayings and doings of man as an editor
and as private citizen. If the expressions
OF opinion on the part of newspaper are
worth anything in the eyes of the public,
it is because they are honest expressions of
opinion. An editor cannot, he, certainly,
ought not to- have two ''selfs." If he is
honest and sincere, he will express his hon
est sentiments whether he is writing an
newspaper article, or talking and acting as
private citizen. We doubt not, we be-
heye, that Mr.. Bowles has been sincere and
| honest i'm his cndeavoro ,o t..