The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-17
sOoLDING.

Some people nurse the idea that the chic
mission of q newspaper is to perform the
function of scolding- While the
community at large are resting quietly unde,
grievances, these people expect the public
journals to rant, rave, tear their hair, foam al
the mouth and go into all manner of tantrums
| of denunciation and anathema. If o
public officer is found derelict in official
duty, however silent legislators and courts
may be, or however little our lead.
ing citizens may say, or think, or care
about him or his faults, it is
expected by the exacting advisers to whom
we refer, that the newspaper is to open
and maintain, for an indefinite period, an in
cessant fusilade of denunciation. If an officer
by wrongful and fraudulent means succeeds
In usurping a prominent Office. the people
who expect their ranting to be done by proxy
insist that their favorite journals shall COM
mence and maintain a relentless and perpet-
ual bombardment of daily diatribes. They
are not content with candid opinions,
with measured censure, with calm crit
tisement which it is sometimes appro-
pirate to administer. They insist that
"the papers," must scold, denounce
and execrate, in every column every day, all
those who have become oppressive and OBJ
noxious. Such friends would have our col
umns daily filed with animadversion and
bitter vituperation. They would never be
content unless some official known to them
was pelted, Knocked, pilloried and scourged
every day in the BULLETIN.
To follow this advice would lead to most
absurd conclusions. No mere scold ever
pleased any one long at time. If the Bull
LETIN were principally filled with sarcastic
comments, caustic censure and laundering
denunciation, it would become a monotone of
objurgation which might please few, but
which would make the "judicious grieve."
Yet these same compliments know
very well how thoroughly disgusting
it is to hear bowling
politician, as he declaims on street corners
in angry tones and extreme epithets inter-
spersed with profane explosives. The de-
mandatory bore is among the least tolerable
of his guild.
No class of business men have suffered
more from the misrule, usurpation and gen.
eral scoundrelism of the political grasshop-
pers who have swarmed upon US for eight
years than the publishers of honest newspa-
pers. They have not only damaged the gen.
eral business of the State, but they have
taken away from us the public work in which
We are entitled to share at equitable |
rates. It is quite apparent, therefore,
that journalists in New Orleans have |
no reason to withhold the rod from the
backs Of the miscreants who have reduced |
hem to the borders of distress. We want to
get rid of our oppressors as much as any
other class can desire that most desirable re-
suit. We will give all practicable help to
hose who work for the defeat and expulsion
rom Office Of our enemies, but we can not
lfford to disfgure our columns every Gay
With the repetition Of denunciations upon
hem Long observation has taught us the
weakness which Turks in strong language.
We aim at effective results, and set but small
'alue upon displays of emotion and en-
husiam.