Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-07-24
GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS

convicted whisky fraud OF Missouri
has been trying to secure a pardon
for her husband from the Presi-
dent. \ recent dispatch from Wash
ington says in that connection:
A month ago or more Mrs. Avery
industriously circulated petition
for the signatures of newspaper
men. 1t was represented to her
that if she should present to the
Presidents petition bearing the sig
natures of representatives OF lead
ing newspapers. he would consider
it in the light of q declaration that
if be ordered the pardon he would
not be subject ia criticism from that
quarter.
This shows that the President is
not wholly invulnerable to the opin-
ions of an intelligent press. Some
may have been lead to suppose that
he was so absorbed in Lofty
selfishness and the favorable opirl-
ion of q small coterie Of flatterers
that he ignored the newspapers en-
tirely. 1t is pleasant to see that be
governs his official actions some
what according to their opinions.
And it is equally pleasan. to reflect
that the world has so far advanced
in ideas OF government that the
chief officer of the greatest republic
on the earth is closely watching
public opinion as expressed by the
great journals of the land, aud is
cautious of mourning the dl>ap-
prevail of those mediums of intel
lectual improvement. 80 long As
officers OF the Government are SEN
sible to newspaper criticism and ar
incorrup,ible press is maintained,
so long are we pretty sure of an
honest and faithful administration
of pubic affairs and the wainten-
ancs iIyiolate Of our free instiiu-
lions.
What a pleasant contrast there
is between this picture of
our chief magistrate asking if a
certain official set will meet
with the appreciation of the press
and the relation of the newspapers
of France, Russia, Germany and Tur
key towards those governments. In
the latter countries the press, the only
medium through which public opin-
ion can find adequate expression, is
held subservient to the authorities,
while here the reverse rule obtains |
And still we call France 3 sister re
public. She is 50 only in name,
Republican freedom there as We IN
derstand it is comparatively I'M
known. The freedom of citizens
may be safely measured by the lib
erty that is accorded to the press
Unless a man has the privilege to
print his opinions, under proper re-
.strictions (as expressed in the federal
constitstlonl, how are ideas to adj
Yancel Perhaps in France when the
general education Of the people is
better than il is to-day the press will
be granted more latitude. The gen
eral education Of q people insures as
much freedom to journalistic publ
cations as is compatible with public
good, and such freedom in its turn
insures a general education. The
two go hand in hand and are insepa-
rable. There is no country in the
world where so much leeway is given
to newspapers as in this, and there is
correspondingiy no country 10 the
world where so much freedom is ac-
corded 60 the individual. When the
power and privilege of the press is
recognized to the extent of the chief
officer of the government paying
heed to its utterances and influence
there is therein guarantee, as said
above, that there is little or no danger
of reversion to less desirable form
of public rule
LYDIA F. EARNux, young woman
Who had been teaching school in
Winnemucca. died suddenly at the