The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-07-01
KENosHA WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, JULY l. 1875.

Among the immoralist editors are
those who are ever ready to chuckle at
the downfall of good people. IF man
or woman who has always borne good
/ reputation, who has belonged perhaps
to the Christian part of community, falls,
lif Christian statesman is caught in any
of the peccadilloes to which statesmen
are said to be given or if minister of
the gospel falls if any Of these are even
charged with the omission of duties on
the commission Of wrongs, the updis-
lguised satisfaction and the malignant
ljeers, the hateful references, the evident
effort to turn the event to some account
against the very spirit Of goodness and
ldecency, the damnable spirit so wonder
fully developed by the press for glory
ing IN the downfall of good man or
woman, or a blow struck at good prln-
ciple, must make the devil look up from
his Pit with more than mortal agony of
envy. In the notorious and lamentable
| Beecher-Tilton controversy which has
occupied the attention of the whole
world for the past year, we may see 8
notable example of this, and from it
draw not unuseful lesson. Without
even an intimation respecting guile or
innocence without making our sympa-
thies or convictions prominent, let us
consider the part the press of the Uni
ted States has played in this last twelve
months drama of moral woe and tor
tured decency, Never has it had such
an opportunity for distinguishing itself
as the guardian of morality and decency,
and never has a glorious opportunity
been more recklessly and ruthlessly
thrown away. While, with hypocriti-
cal cant, it bewailed the heavy blow
struck at the cause Of religion and NOR
atty, it lent itself with universally
most deplorable, TO the uncanny task Of
intensifying all that was bad in the
SC ar dai, or could be tortured out of it,
and made itself the exponent OF the
lowest tastes,o of the toughest elements in
our society. Instead of doing the noble
work thrown in irs way in the Interests
| CT yshat should have been to It most
sacred trust instead Of springing viii
lingiy and gladly into the social breach,
and making itself noble champion be-
hind whom suffering morality could take
refuge, it was quick to strike its strong
est blows against her. The scandal has
been hot house of disease for the pub
| lie mind for many weary months, but
great as has been the Brooklyn curse
| it is really as nothing compared with the
vulture-press which has torn what was
foulest from the loathsome carcass ard
screaming, borne it all over the coun-
try. A pest house, where patients lie
writing in the agonies Of loathsome
disease, is a thing horrible enough, but
how shall we conceive the baseness of
the wretches who would go to secure
the seeds Of dreaded diseases and place
them in our households where our dear
ones could not escape the infection
The trial of Mr.. Beecher, ii has been
held, involved questions of far deeper
| Importance than the guilt or innocence
of the great pastor of Plymouth the
existence and sacredness of virtue, and
purity, and character, and justice. This
is not true, and thank God the fall of
no one man can destroy these great
principles. But if they had been in
volved, and if the press had been labor
ing for their destruction, it could do lit
tie more than it has done. And, shame.
full as it's to acknowledge, much cf the
|so-called religious press has pulled stroke
oar in this Infamous effort.
The men who make the newspapers
place low estimate upon character.
They approach regulations with the
recklessness and audacity Of plunderers.
Reputation is, to many of them, material
for editorials and sharp items. The
regulations of public men are stock in
trade to mary a publisher. "When a
man enters public life, he becomes pub
lie property" is not uncommon saying;
bnt the conversion of public property
of that kind into such questionable
private use is a crime. There
has haen n 0r0wino tendency on