The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-07-01
ROUT NEW srAPERs.

AROUT NEW ,PAPERs.
In pre- .euting a daily record OF cur
rent events the editor OF newspaper ls
often perplezei as to what is his duty
to the reader; whether to record
faithfully and impartially and tally
the history OF every transaction which
posseests public interest, or 10 exercise
the duties of censor asd publish only
pleasant and honorable things, igGorlng
all that is evil and OF corrupung iLfu-
ente. 1t is d fficut to know at all
times lust where to draw the line be-
tween what ought to be published and
what GU bit not; aud one OF tie Chief
perplexrties OF the editor is to select
from the mass OF material at hand
that reading matter which will best ad'
vance the highest interests OF the COM
muuty in which he lives.
Asa general rule the public demands
10 be informed OF everything that occurs.
Newspaper readers rather resent any
censorship upon the catalogue OF cur
rent events, and demand 10 know the
bad as well as the good, to know who
has been arrested and fined by the
Police Court and for what offense, as
well as to learn what good deeds have
been done and what holy influences
have been at work. At the. same time
there can be no doubt that familiarity
with tie evil that is continually
wrought by vicious men impsrts a tain'
to all who acquire this dangerous
knowledge. POPE is as much phllos'
opher az q poet when he says:
"vica is q monster Of so dreadful mien
AS TO be hated needs but TO be seen;
Rnt seen too oft familiar with It's face,
We first endure, then pity, then EN-
brace"
The first reading OF all the details of a
prize nghl, emoellloueu WV" wv
the reporters hsbituslly assume, is
shocking aud disgusting to young
man whose instincts and hao:ts are cor
rect; but the continued perusal OF such
REPORTS debases his mind, bunts his
sensibilities, and finally, with the added
influence OF all the other dehauchiug
literature which follows in this train,
(although it be but the mer record G
passing events) brings him to the
moral level OF the degraded characters
whose exploits are daily recorded and
commented upon IN the newspapers,
The editor who has a just sense OF
his duty to his readers finds it far NOR
difficult 10 know what to exclude from
publication, than to know what will
make his paper popular and
whas will pander to the
common taste. There is g prureHt de-
sire for evil knowledge; an itching for
scandal; continual search for filthy
thiHg-, that darl demands qualification
from the newspapers 1t is the same
deprsved thirst for vice that crowds our
cour,-rooms on the occasion Of trial
for iudpcency, and reveIs in the most
offensive detaliS concerning the manner
aud circumstances cf the crime. And
the higher the previous standing OF the
parties involved, the greater Is the
popular curiosity to learn how meanly
and how low they have fallen and &c
what shameful lengths they have been
BETRAYED There are men in every
community who seem to relish
scandal aud revel in filth
The Ghouls OF the nursery
story have real existence in the per
cons OF men whom we meet every day
upon the streets and we'cDme to eur
homes, but VINO feast upon dead repu-
tations and smack their hps owe
savory morsels OF corrupted character
They gloat over the nauseating details
OF crime and eagerly catch the frs'
faint OF suspicion that is waited from 8
formerly honored name, and they visi
the newspaper Offices and desire tn,
publication OF this or that bit OF scandal
and ask why this or that story to TIT
detriment OF some neighbor has no.
been published. Let each one Of oul
readers ask himself "Is it p
To conduct daily or weekly news
paper whose influence shall be uni
formly good; to publish all that tn
readers ought to know and exclude al
that should be kept from public knowl
edge; to avoid just censure Tor to-
great liberality upon one hand and tet
rigid censorship on the other; thes
constitute the Scylla aud Chsrybdis be
tween which the editor has to steer.
An old lady advise. snp,e yirIs Ub