The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-04-21

comes 10 our notice, we feel strong desire To
know what We think about it; we are not
satisfied until we do. And most of us are
not independent enough to form our opinions
unaided; we wish to know what some one
else thinks, in order to get help in
forming our own opinion; and therefore we
turn at once from the telegraphic to the edi-
toriaI column in order to get the newspapers
opinion about the important event which we
have read Of And so we set from the news
papers not only facts but opinions about them.
is this true of that large and most
important class of events, namely, those
things which are done by the government, or
which affect in any way our action as voters.
Of course, our desire to form an opinion
about these is exceedingly strong, and news
paper which would give us no help in this
way would not satisfy us at all. So, then, as
l have said, this printed person comes to us
every day and tells us the events which have
happened in the world, aud what he thinks
about the more important of them. And he
has character of his own, by virtue of which
he exerts an influence upon us. What he
says we feel in some degree because it comes
from him. Ii he says things that are low or
coarse or bitter, we may sympathize with or
we may be disguised with them, according to
the comparative elevation of our character
but at any rate we have heard them, and they
come to our ears with certain weight, and
if he keeps on saying them we shall keep on
listening to them, and be receiving from him
those evil communications which are pretty
sure to corrupt in time the best of manners.
And If our newspaper companion has way
of dealing unfairly with facts, of TURF ing
them about and twisting them, in times OF
political excitement, we shall be likely to have
our regard for truth and honesty quietly un-
der mined. And if he have spirit of narrow
and bitter partisanship, a spirit which can see
in great political controversies occasion for
nothing higher than vulgar personal contests,
we are very likely to get from him some Of
this Odious spirit. And if he have an un-
scrupulousness about the character of public
men, which shall make him willing to assail
hastily great reputation, because in so doing
doing he expects to be able to gain advantage
for his party, we who listen to him every day
are in danger of sharing the same unscrupri-
lous mind.
The newspaper, then, is not a tumble oil
facts 1t is an instructor, and therefore it ex-
erts formative power. Il gives its readers
moral impressions, good or bad. 1t helps
them form their habits of thinking about
men and about politics. 1t has thus an i'm
portant influence in making their character
and in giving tone to their citizenship. And
when we remember that its readers are al
most the whole community; and that among
them are those whose mental and moral hab-
its are forming, we see that 1t is matter OF
vast consequence to the nation that the press
makes proper use Of its power. NJ sfl
And, in the first place, it is a matter of
great importance TO us all, and one which
should occasion great solcitude to us all, that
the press makes such use of its influence as
not to do the community any harm. This it
Of plx,y fa, fr, h
of us has an interest in the moral health Of
the nation, and each OF us may without the
slightest impertinence deprecatc anything
which he deems likely to impair it.
Now the little analysis which has been Civ
en- of the peculiar power of the newspaper
must nave made it very evident that there are
special tendencies to perversion accompany.
ing it. wish, more for the sake of sugges-
ton than of criticism, to point out some
ways in which newspapers may abuse the
great influence which they exert, to the in
Jury of public morals. n. ,',~ ---.-,.
In the first place, then, there is danger that
newspapers will lower public morals, by show
ing and so encouraging a disregard of truth.
ing newspaper like an intoxicated man, is a
warning, and not an allurement; but by per-
verting facts, by garbling the truth SO as to
make it answer the ends of a lie, by unfair
ness of statement which amounts to dishon-
esty. -.. .-...-t1 .. p
If newspaper which a man reads every
morning contains such insidious violations of
as these, he will be likely, unless
he be a man of very strong principle, to have
the edge of his veracity gradually taken off.
If during an exciting. presidential Campaign,
a mans trusted journal descends to equivoca-
tion and double dealing, what can we expect
but that he will catch its spirit? He will un-
ess he despiSes it, and he is not likely to do
that, for it is his party's champion and his
political guide. A journal which sets an ex-
ample of unscrupulousness in times of parti-
san contest is then cOrrupter of public NOR
ais. The more respectable and powerful it is,
the more insidiously evil is the influence it
exerts. 1t is a very bad thing for men to be
made to believe that what is wicied in gener-
al is in some special circumstances justifiable.
Such belief is apt to undermine mans en-
tire moral character. A man who has gen.
uine regard for the moral law, honors it as
paramount. 1t can know no exceptions, 1t
is as universal at the empire of God. When
then man is taught in one department of
life, such as the political sphere, that offences
against truthfulness are pardonable, he is
really taught to disregard the claims of this
sacred virtue, and given very insidious and
effective lesson in immortality.
Another way in which the newspaper may
pervert its influence to the moral ,detriment
Of the community is by showing and so incul-
eating lOoseness of moral sentiment. 1t is
very plain that the amount of virtue in a
is exactly commensurate to the
degree to which wee is detested in it. And it
Is equally evident that whatever tends to di-
minish the popular abhorance of vice tends
with equal force to weaken public virtue.
Now, if the press, either in its reportorial
or editorial columns presents bad things to its
readers in such a way as to take away from
their hideousness, then it strikes blow at
public morality. h % y. oir i
Shall I give Illustrations? Suppose that
spectacular representations, which excite de-
basing and prurient feeling, are able to hire
the press to present them in an attractive
guize to the public; to use the power Of its
influence to take away disgust at their inn
morality, then does not the presss become a
corruptor of public virtue?
Suppose that immoral men are put up as
candidates for office and that the newspapers
represent, try to take away from the minds
Of the people the adherence which their wick
edness excites. saying that their guilt is
small matter compared with their fidelity to
party interests, 80 lessening the popular hatred
)f u0blushing wickedness, then do not those
weaken public morality? Sup
pose that men in Office are found to have
been guilty of disgraceful conduct, and that
he journals who espouse their cause smooth
over and jest away their sin, as though it
were matter of triaing concern, than are
not those journals exerting an immoral infiu-
ence upon the nation?
The newspaper often shows and inculcates
q loose morality in a more unObtrrsive way.
The little unsavory jest which creeps into its
the rather wanton descriptions of sin
Of certain kind which it publishes, the flip.
pant way in which it speaks sometimes Of
Ihings which man of strong moral feeling
IAN only speak very sadly OF, have a great
leal more influence than its editors dream, in
he way of weakening the moral sense OF its
'eaders, especially its younger ones. For tits
he newspaper who speaks even when it whis-
,ers in small type, and the newspaper represent
20 great many minds the moral sentiment
If society, and if it speaks as a person of low
morality would speak, these persons are infu-
snced accordingly. aal a %. .7* q
And 60 on to say, though it is not quite
IN the line OF my remarks, that the newspa-
per sometimes is guilty of opposing religion,
IN the same way in whichit attacks morality,
viz, by taking on the character of disbe-
lever in it, by little witticisms made upon
the assumption that its most serious truths
are exploded dogmas. ii i
1t is unfair, it is immmoral as well as ire
Iigious. Fair attack is one thing and innuen-
do is another. Those to whom those matters
are sacred have right to demand. and some
of them here and now do demand. that ii