The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-08-06
Independent Journalism.
Among newspapers the most used, least ul

AiAo'S N>SSN3
derstood, and worst abused term is Independent
journalism" 1t would troubeany one of those
papers which use it so hippantly, and are inces:
sanity asserting their own independence, and
congratulating themselves on the growth OF
independent journalism, to tell what it means
| Probably their first attempt ut an answer would
be that it means a journal which is of no pollt'
ical party. But what is party? 1t is an asso'
citation of men who agree in certain principles
or policies, to elect agents to carry them into
effect In q government of frequent elections
there is no way of carrying principles policies
or the will of the people into effect save by such
association. To say, therefore, that indcpcnd-
encc means to be of no political party, is to say
the independent journal must have no ideas
of principles or policies, and must support
none.
This is to say it must be cmasculated of all
that makes manhood and the dignity of citizen
ship in a popular government. Yet this is per
haps the most common idea of independent
journalism, both in the public mind and in its
loud professions. But there is an attempt to
put an appearance of manhood and independ-
encc to this neuter condition by a systematic
practice of disparaging both parties, and of at
tacking men of EACH But as this is not from
ideas Of priniples or policies, but to display in
difference to them, it is nothing but unprinci-
Piled scolding, and it is bound by the low neces-
sity of dividing the abuse equally between the
two parties, to preserve the pretense of indie
pendent journalism. AS the public sees this
| idea carried out, it makes abuse and black
guardism, without any principle orpubic object,
independence.
During the last year of Horace Greeley's con-
troll of the Tribune, he laid down the PROPOSE
tion that independent journalism must be a
fraud, because it required that the Journalist
should be indifferent as to which party carried
the election, thing which, he said was impos.
sible to human nature This was his notion of
independent journalism, and it is evidently the
idea of it's most blatant professors, and they try
to affect this Indifference, which, as he said
truly, it is impossible for any intelligent man
to feel. But while Horace described truly the
iulposture, he left out of sight the true indie
pcndcnce.
In a government of the people through inces-
SAINT elections, all manly men have political
opinions. The editor cannot avoid having
them. When he advocates his own opinions,
and supports that party which seeks to carry
them into effect in the administration, he acts
manly and independent part.
This is true independent journalism. Inde-
pendence is neuter 1t may be bigotedly par
tisan, for such is common tendency of mems
minds; but so long as the editers course is
guided by his own convictions, it is independent
Many journals which are bitterly partisan be-
cause their editors are so by nature or convlc-
ton, are called party journals, and are never
thoug ught Of as independent; yet they often make
sacrifices of interest for their principles, thing
which the protesting independent journals new,
er do, and they would scott at any, one as a fool
for doing it, For the professors of Independent
NJ hIa
who will take any course that will lose sub
scribers.
There is an ideal judicial mind, which floats
in sphere above human emotions and preju-
dices and associations, and Judges every subject
and party from perfect impartiality and pure
reason But the trade of journalism, or the
possession of types and ink, does not always
bring this, although the peculiar professors of
Independent journalism talk as if it did.
If an editor has opinions of principles and
policies for the administration of government !;
if he supports political party because it agrees
with him in the most important of these; if he
makes principles and measures the object OF
party association, instead of subordinating them
to party success if he is free in criticising the
men and measures of his own party when they
depart from its own professions, or from his own
convictions, his is the highest kind Of indepen-
dent journalism that we have, or that human
nature is capable of. There arc journals of this
kind We could mention one. Their convic-
tions sometimes oblige them to a course which
excites hostility in their own party, and which
they know to be Immediately injurious to them
in the money sense. But these are called party
journals because they use party as an agent to
carry into effect their own convictions whilst
they who discard all convictions, and trim be-
tween the two parties to curry favor with both,
and who never have any motive higher than
the present mercenary one, arc the professors
and blatant braggarts of independent journal
ism.
But not every party journal is Independent.
The conditions of the existence of many are in
compatible with complete independence. In
places where their field of circulation is narrow,
and their resources small, the public patronage
of q county or town becomes vital element,
and this makes the success of the party so vital
to them that they become timid about touching
its faults, and naturally they become the sup
porters of the men who are most successful in
managing the party for their own interest. But
even among these there arc degrees Of indepen-
dcnce and of party servility, and it may be
said that they who arc most independent on the
county patronage have higher principle than
that mercenary one which is the professional
independence; for they believe the principles
of the party they support to be the best for the
country. Likewise national office tends to
make the editor take favorable view of all the
acts of the administration but there arc de-
grecs of independence among editors holding
these
If we bring the professors of Independent
Journalism down to ultimate definitions we
Shall find that they mean nothing but to man
ufacture newspaper to suit the market and
therefore whose whole end and principle is to
get the largest sale. Thus we shall find that
independence in journalism is the same as in
dependence in manufacturing clothes, boots
and shoes, textile fabrics, hats, scythcs, soap
articles that is, it means to manufacture an
article that will sell the best, and that their on
ly test of merit is the largest sale. This is the
reality of the matter; but how different it
| aauniS urhan uritten o. ind journal ism