The Placer herald., 1873-05-31
Wholesale PUFFERY,

There is no feature of modern journalism
that detracts SO much from the dignity and
usefulness of newspapers as indiscrilninate
pnts. Often the most unworthy objects and
questionable enterprises receive recommen-
datons that mislead the public and bring
disappointment to the persons who have
placed confidence in such Misrepresentation
| Aside from the wrongs thus done to the
readers Of the journal which thus lowers its
mission, the reaction Injuries the noble pro-
fesslon itself The motives for admitting
columns OF bombastlc tlattery cpon persons
and extravagaut descriptions of enterprises
| each occupying the rank of ordinary claims
to respect, are easily seen, and soon brings
the paper down to the level OF the public es
Innate of ouch p,stfery. The supcrlative de-
gree is always employed, and thus Other
qualifying terms lose all power TO make an
impression. Everything is the best, the
cheapest, and the grandeSt, and hence moth
ing is good. The frequent recurrence and
| application of such terms soon places that
kind of journalism on its own meriled level.
Cheap praise takes away the power Of a pa
per to make its utterances significant enough
to command the respect of readers or to he
accepted as authority in the community.
Readers have a right to complain OF the evil
and the press owes to itself and the public
greater care upon this subject.
Many of the personal notices are the pre-
miums thrown in with the paper, or the ad
verisement in part obtained by this artful
dodge of persisting and annoying agents.
The mass of readers can have no interest in
such personal slobberngs, to use the not-over
delicate but expressive term Of the Kansas
Times, and feel disappointed and clagrined
at their use. There may be one view of the
evil to excuse its folly and injustice and that
is the diminished influence of such journalism
to strengthen political and speculative man
ipLhtons for creating public opinion and Sc
Letting persons to represent it.
The last public entertainment that is on
the way with a good long advertisement,
and liberal supply of free tickets, is the
best one that has ever been before the COM
munity. This, repeated over and over again,
becomes meaningless and fulsome to readers;
hence a paper claiming confidence for its rep
resentat ons should exercise scrupulous care
in adm ttng such notices editorially.
lUt personal uOlICtS OIicu loHu men 10 tne
sanctum to get their names on the list, and
thus acquire cheap distinction as efficient and
popular men of the amusement of the boys
at home. For all this kind of stuff the read
er pays as much as fer news and instructive
matter. The arrival Of some distinguished
public man, in whom the public have an in
terest, or whose visit is made ia connection
with some public enterprise, is an appropri-
ate personal notice, whist that Of private
citizen, ordinarily distasteful to a modest in
dvidual, surely makes the distinction thus
acquired cheap one.
There is wide scope to this subject, and
modern journalism will do well to protect its
own character and the public by proper at
tention to such restrictions as will be sug-
gested by its careful consideration. Much
of the unreniunerative work and expense,
that really does the victims of the system no
good, viii be save and the attention of the