The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-01-20
The9ailg
ID. MeCALEB, Editor.
rug rnrss AxnIrs MISSION.


The mere idea Of NEWSPAPER, IN
IL original Specification, carries WIN
II no more enlarged duty than that Of
a 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 10
cover a much wider field, Al this
time a newspaper Is expected not only
to give a brief abstract OF current
events, but an interchangeable opln-
ion demands that the editor shall ram
sack his exchanges, seek early advlces
by telegraph from all points OF inter-
est, aud condense them within his al
lotted space, but goes much further ana
demands, as q public necessity, that he
shall analyze, to large extent, ana
give his own views 10 the people.
Slight reflection will show that this
exaction imposes on editors OF proml'
nent papers labor herculean IN It's
character. Imagine a man Of far at
tainments and gifts, conscientious in
his principles ofactioll, Mt the editorial
head Of leading paper in aprosperous
town or city, with daily intercourse BY
railroad aud telegraph with a large
scope Of country, compelled daily to
receive, examine, digest and arrange
the current events Of the day andthen,
as man Of integrity, to write his
views on the mOreimportant 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 rs fair sample-have even a
higher and holier mission, especially
in Texas and the South. They are
charged by yrtuOus public sentiment
with the grave duty Of seeking out and
intoxicating 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 il 50. When
we succeed, so be it. When, from OK
haustion, physical pain, domestic az
Fiction or other cause, we fail, so be it.
Strike the average Of debit and credit,
for month or a year, and decide just
1--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 cardinal feature in the
mission of the Texas press Of to-day,
the duty of intoxicating the highest
principles of public and private recti-
tude-of 80 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. Il
Virtuous public and private liberty
ia the foundation Of all earthly happi-
ness, supported by the practice Of, or
at least, a Respect for religious princi-
pies, both present and future felicity
will be the reward. The press must
ever separate the true from the false
1t must be lamp to guide the foot
steps of growing youthful must warn
them of quicksands, ambushes and !
breakers ahead-and fearlessly point
out the beaten paths of truth and the
haven of salty. The labor is ever pres
ent and presslng-the danger is always, !
more or less, distinctly in view to the
experienced observer. ..t
b. So, realizing with full knowledge of
our frailty, The DALLAS HERALD will !
labor in all fidelity to pursue the right |
and oppose the wrong