The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-05-10
Mr. waftersoa on Journalism.

Mr. Waftersoa on Josrnalism.
Aside from the fulsome Hattery |
Of few individuals, which Mr.. j.
81. Wataerson, editor Of the Louis
vile Courier. Journal, indulged in
in his recent address before the In
diana Editorial Association, there
are some curious incongruities in 1
his arguments that win sound very
odd to the author himself when
carefully scanned One Of the
points the speaker never lost sight
of during his address was the COM
mendation Of s1ndependent journal
ism" Independent Of WHAT In
dependent of the peoples seNo,"
says Mr.. Watterson, independent
of partieA.' But Of what are par ]
ties composed. How, we entreat
Nj. Watterson to tell uA can .
newspaper be independent of par.
ties and at the same time be the
spokesman of the people who con.
statute parties! Let us illustrate:
It is the duty of q newspaper, says
Mr.. Watterson, to reflect the sem
timents of the people. "Bind It
with hooks of steel to the service Of
the people. Acknowledge no mas
ter save that of public opinion"
etc. We suppose by this is meant
Of course, the prevailing sentiment;
not of the sentiment of the majority.
Passing by this rather questionable
advice to journalists. to make their
own sentiments always tally with
the strongest side, we ask how the
theory so eloquently commended
has been observed by the men
whom he delights with honorable
mention in his address. Have they
been the popular mouth-pieces and
interpreters' of public opinion!
Most assuredly not. The side es-
poused by the New York Tribune,
the Cincinnati Commercial, the
Louisville Courier Journal. the Chi
cago Tribune, and others of the
so called independent newspapers,
was one at war with popular judg-
ment. It was the cause of the edi-
tors of those journals against the
cause Of the people. The 'shooks
of STEEL with which Mr.. Waiter
son says the independent press
shoulk bind itself s'to the service of
the people were broken like ropes
of sand when subjected to the strain
| of personal pique, malice, and AFRO
gance which influenced the mana
gers of the Independent press. They
became-and no one should know
| this better than Mr.. Watterson
himself precisely what he declares
they should not become founders
of species of journalism repre-
senting the caprice of single
editor, and piquing itself ON it's
immunity from obligations of every
sort"
Il It is the misfortune of Mr.. Wat.
terson's excellently worded essay
that it partakes largely of his own
Inconsistencies It may be beauti-
full rhetoric, but it is certainly the
most beggarly logic to say. and ali
in one sentence, too
sThrow off the old execiable
badge, faded and tattered and
!, worm eaten by its dishonoring
memories aud inscriptions, for that
other badge, that insignia of rank
and independence, which says: 81
, am no mans dog. / am man
, among men. The roof above me il
. my own. This threshold is mine
and, holding no commission but
, that which, sent from Heaven
!, makes me spokesman for my fell
: low-men, and having no weapons
!. except q handful of types, I an
able to defy the world that propo'
ses unbidden to cross it, being sup
ported by an army, numerous and
powerful, which is ready to rally al
! moments notice for the defens.
4 of itsef, which is my defense"
This is certainly equal to tn
: famous sentence of one of the Pre-
|, sidents: that 'sthe Republic is q
, peace with all the world, and. tn,
rest of mankind" Reduced to sim
pie English, Mr.. Watterson says
4 Il speak for the world, and tn
i world attempts to pass over m,
= threshold unbidden and assault me
e I beat them back-sdefy them witt
: . handful of types. just at thi
!, juncture up comes AN army numer
: GUS and powerful Cwhere it coul,
: have been recruited, with the world
= on the other side, Mr.. Watterso,
; does not explain] and infict
! cbastisement on an already defeate'
: and chopfallen universe
!. We suggest that this is putin,
"a the world on a good many sides {
. . question in a remarkable shor
e space of time. Where was the US
- of Juggling in the last squad an
+ way, when the independent jour
: nalist was able to defy all creatio
with . handful of types! But th
point of all this lies in telling th
\ journalist in one breath to do q
81 he pleases, speak his own sent
4 ments-''be no mans dog;;" and j
! the next charging him to be th
> representative Of everybody, . n
v Election only of the lights and shat
~ ows of society.