Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-06-16
INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.

In this State and elsewhere there has Of
late been good deal Of talking and writ
ing about independent journalism, sub
ject on which Murat Halstead, the vet
Grand editor of the Cincinnati Com
mercial. lately made some very peril
nent remarks. He said that twenty five
years ago there were but two journals
published in the country that could prop
erly be called independent, and they
were the New York Herald and Tribune.
"Now," continued Halstead, "there is
no considerable city in the country that
is without newspaper, and often there
is more than one, either absolutely indie
pendent or approximating that condi-
ton; and the more Independent journals
are, as rule, those are highest in public
favor" Probably there are few men in
the United States that are better versed
in the true Office and proper province Of
legitimate newspaper enterprise than
Halstead, which would alone entitle his
opinion to much weight, but the fact is
81 apparent that no carroberation, how
ever respectable, is necessary When
Halstead said, "the more independent
journals are, as rule, those are highest
in public estimation" no truer words
were ever spoken. The true mission Of
public journal, after fulfilling its duty
as public purveyor and publisher of
the current events of the day, is that Of
censor or critic. How can paper prop
erly or impartially fill those functions if
it is bound to this party, tied to that
ring, or required to support certain set
under any circumstances or in any event2
In such case there can be no real indie
pendencs. because impartiality and firm
ness in criticism or Judgment is out Of
the question. The public, which in its
turn, is keen and caustic critic, readily
perceives the bias which this condition
Of bondage entails, and ceases to pay very
little regard to the lucubrations Of a
journal which is prejudged and bound
to defend certain men or particu-
lar party, whether right or wrong.
For instance, what weight with any in
telligent reader has the Sacramento
Record when it discusses railroad mat
tiers, or the Virginia Enterprise, or the
so-called Virginia Independent on the
Sutro Tunnel or party matters. The con-
clusion such papers reach is foregone.
With them it is not the end which is
doubtful, that reasoning from certain
data will lead them but it is the choice
OF certain trains of argument which will
terminate in certain goal which is fixed
before hand. Under these circumstan-
ces, independence is not to be though.
Of, because it is entirely beyond the
reach Of any paper, which must under
any and all circumstances support Ger.
tain men, aud advocate certain measures
On the other hand, how wide and use
full field opens before the public journ
al that refuses to affiliate with this o
the other party. Standing aloof from
any such entangling alliances it is a con
dition to, and does, express candid ant
unbiased opinion upon men and things
With paper of that character, man il
not supported or condemned as a candi
date for Office, because he is not Dem
ocrat or Republican; but because he il
either unfit or incapable, or becaus
there is much more eligible candidst
in the field. The same with measures
The standard applied to them is not tina
of party, but Of the public good. Thes
are immeasurably higher stand point
from which to regard either persons Q
measures, and enables all who Wow tn
latter from such position, to give
more reliable and intelligent opinion
because it is impartial and candid. FL
these reasons the really independer
journals are rapidly gaining in publ
favor, as they are also increasing i
numbers, and are to be found not only
the cities that Halstead alludes to, but
the rural districts, in the mountains an
on the frontier, while their rapid multi
plication is perhaps one Of the most Ell
coursging signs Of the times, for it shov
that the people at large are thinking 4
themselves, and not blindly followil
any leader, however popular, or yet al
party, no matter how glorious its achiey
ments, or respectable its traditions. Tt
we repeat is the most encouraging fe
ture in the political horizon of the da