The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-01-24
THE PRESS AND ITS MISSION.


its original Specification, carries with
it no more enlarged duty than that of
daily or weekly publication of the
more important news Of the day. But,
as things have come to be in these lat.
ter years, the newspaper is expected to
cover q much wider field. AT this
time a newspaper is expected not only
to give a brief abstract Of current
events, but an unrelenting public opin-
ion demands that the editor shall ram
sack his exchanges, seek early advices
by telegraph .from all points of inter-
est, and condense them within his al
lotted space, but goes much further ana
demands, as public necessity, that he
shall analyze, to a large extent, and
give his own views to the people.
Slight reflection will show that this
exaction imposes on editors of promi-
nent papers labor herculean in its
character Imagine man of fair at
tainments and gifts, conscientious III
his principles of action, at the editorial
head of leading paper, in naprosperous
town or city, with daily intercourse by
railroad and telegraph with large
scope of country, compelled daily to
receive, examine, digest and arrange
the current events of the day and then
as man of integrity, to write his
views on the more important questions,
and you will have some idea of the
ceaseless toll of such an editor. Our
country is flooded with newspapers,
from mammoth journals of great abili-
ty to village sheets poorly supported,
interlarded with police gazettes, pic
torials and miscellaneous publications
ever rising here and dying there.
But the average paper of the coun-
try-taking the better class of Texas
journals as fair sample-have even n
higher and holier mission, especially
in Texas and the South. They are
charged by a virtuous public sentiment
with the grave duty of seeking out and
inculcating those principles of recti-
tude which should characterize the en-
lightened people of all free countries.
They are required to probe the recesses
of truth and spread the results before
the public as light to guide their foot
steps. The public demand is almost
despotic. They cannot apologize for
the over taxed mind and weary body
of the remiss editor, but daily exact
the pound of flesh. Be it so. When
we succeed, so be it. When, from eX-
haustion, physical pain, domestic af-
Fiction or other cause, we fail, SO be it..
Strike the average of debit and credit,
for a month or year, and decide just
ly-we ask no more. Our principal
brethren of the press ask no more.
But in deciding, remember that many
of the ablest statesmen and writers the
world has produced were subject to
spells of mental depression, when they
could neither speak nor write with
ability.
We hold, as a cardinal feature in the
mission of the Texas press of to-day,
the duty of inculcating the highest
principles of public and private recti-
tude-of so writing as to enlighten the
youthful mind on questions of practi'
cal concern in the affairs of life and
State, and leading all in the paths OF
individual and collective virtue.
virtuous public and private liberty
is the foundation of all earthly happi'
ness, supported by the practice OF, ol
at least, respect for religious princi
Piles, both present and future felicity
will be the reward. The press mus
ever separate the true from the false
it must be lamp to guide the foot
steps of growing youth-it must warn
them Of quicksands, ambushes ano
breakers ahead-and fearlessly point
out the beaten paths of truth and the
haven of salty. The labor is ever pres
ent and pressing-the danger is always
more or less, distinctly in view to the
experienced observer.
So realizing with full knowledge o
our frailty, THE DALLAS HERALD vii
labor in all fidelity to pursue the righ
and oppose the wrong.