Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-21
THE PRESS AND THE People.


tablishing a base Of operations for the
help of the people, against those who
are mighty In cunning to devour theil
substance, is integrity; and with it be,
long the courage of convictions and the
consciousness of Independence. In
our opinion, the one word integrity
covers the whole ground 1t is not in.
tegrity to suppress our convictions for
lack of courage, and the editor who is
too timid to express his convictions is a
fraud upon the public, as well as he
who crooks the pregnant hinges. Con-
sciousness of independence is necessary
to integrity. Our orator proceeds to
lay his base of operations as follows:
We come, then, to assert that con.
siderations of keeping faith with our
subscribers, and of honorably dealing
with the public at large, as well as OF
our own moral attitude, urge that in
our columns the Reading Matter and
the Advertisements should always be
kept apart and distinct. And that
there should be between the Press and
the State separation as clearly de-
fined as between the State and the
| Church.
This means, that we have space to
sell, not opinions Of which we make
merchandise; and In respect to thesep-
aration of the Press and the State, it
does not mean Indifference to public af-
fairs, but identity with the people-ac-
tiyity with productive industry, not
partnership with consuming officials
and their cooperative contractors. If
we print, as matter selected for the
public information, or as prepared by
ourselves for the benefit of the general
reader, that which represents an indi-
yidual interest, and are paid for it, how
can we escape the imputation that we
have sold our influence with those who
repose confidence In US? There is
disposition to crowd advertise
ment into reading columns that
defeats its purpose. The public appre-
ciate the exaggeration. They know
that the old reliable business firm put
in straightforward advertisement,
made official by the signature of the
firm name. The English style of news
paper advertising has much to CON-
mend it. 1t is neat, not gaudy. 1t is
high-pricsd, and the prices are I'M
changeable. 1t is the boast of the
London Times counting-room that the
price of advertising has not varied a
penny page for quarter of a century.
If we could rid ourselves at once of the
grOtesque displays, and of the fIaudu-
lent advertising as reading matter, we
might, without reducing our profits, en-
large our type and spare the eyesight
of the students of current history.
Approaching the second division of
his thesis, Mr.. Halstead describes the
State" from which be would divorce
the press;
Rings are combinations to control
public affairs in private interests. They
improve our cities not to help the peo-
pie or for thesake of the Improvements,
but for the benefit of the company en-
gagged in municipal management. They
administer our States that they may
take the margins on the sale of bonds,
the toll on public works, the contracts
for boarding and working convicts,
building and running benevolent In
stitutions, and the blackmail on corpo-
rations. They possess our counties, that
they may construct roads and bridges
and warehouses and pOor-houses and
court houses, and hold the Offices that
are made fat with perquisites. They
are National as well as local. They
regulate the tariff, build the navy, sup
ply the army, aid the railroads, carry !
the mails, feed the Indians, and have |
built up the vast system Of extraya-
CANT pay for miserable service that |
centers at Washington, and impov-
erishes and discredits the country. |
Rings rule In the court-houses, the
State houses, the city halls, and the |
National Capitol. The Ring is the
reality of power. Congressman, Leg |
islators, Councilmen-these are the |
puppets that leap and mouth and dance
as the master touches the wires.
1t is from this State-from the Sow
erignty of Rings-that we should sep
arate the Press.
He seems to have lost faith in the
device of third. party as a purifier,
saying:
The composition of the Rings is a
curious study. We find them inyari-
ably made up of the professional poll
ticians and busybodies of the two
parties. If there should happen to be
three parties, the Ring would become a
Triangle. The men who get their Inv
ing out of politics will not. allow any
organization or movement TO
with their skilled labor, or to
languish for the lack of their enthusi-
asm. The Ring leaders are not want
ing in the front ranks of leformers,
and they ply their trade like pick
pockets, in the midst of the popular up
Iisings. In this connection the Press
should not give up to Party what was
meant for mankind. Whichever Of the
prevalent parties we trust, we shall
probably have occasion to regret that
we have not tried the other.
This is certainly a Respondent view,
and the only remedy suggested is as
follows
The main dependence of the people
for the degree of relief that it is ra-
tional to hope for from the desolating
evil of the times, is upon the Press. If
the Press should prove untrue to the
people, there are deeper and darker
troubles in the future.
We read the times differently. If
5he press proves untrue, it vii be
,horn of its strength by doubly out
aged people. The press is on trial, as
we'll as the dominant party. No mere
iippant echoes of the popular discon-
,ent, sailed with jokes on the public
will satisfy the people.