Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-02-27
TEE MISSION OF THE PRESS.

THE MISSION OF THE PRESS.
In the Virginia Enterprise OF the goth
instant We find we'll written article on
the true mission and work of the press,
in which, to great extent. We coincide.
Il appears TO rs that the duty of the
public press whom clearly ascertained
and performed 10 two-fold: First, to act
a. the impartial pains. taking dissemina-
tor Of intelligence Of the current events
Of the day; Second. 70 become the teacher
Of the people. The former is purely the
province Of what are known as newspa.
pers. The latter il not alone confined TO
newspapers, but 10 shared by all the
products Of the printing Office. To at
tain excellence as disscminator OF in
tslligsnce from all parts OF our country
and the world. Is an enterprise which re-
quires great capital. energy and admins
trativel ability. In the United States
these qualities and the results Of their
union and labor. are in no Instance seen
in greater exoellspes than 10 the New
sS1o1ald sA great journal has not
only the means but the ability to employ
It's financial resources 10 the greatest sd-
vantage. in procuring OF the earliest pos
sibls moment intelligence Of events.
whether occurring at homo or abroad,
which are either interesting or useful to
it, readers. For this purpose the Herald
has an enormous corps Of employees lib
orally paid. who with untiring diligence
and skill. arc engaged in collecting news.
while the aid Of the telegraph. railroads
and steamboats,, are invoked to facilitate
the gathering and distribution Of the lat
oct news. This undertaking is, however.
20 vast. and entails such immense expen-
ditures. that only few great papers can
for . moment think Of entering into compe.
tition with their gigantic rival. The mass
Of the journals Of the country must be
content to take their modicum Of news
dolsd out BY an imperious press associa'
ton and for the rest do the best they can
at second hand. with the matter furn-
ishsd by the great papers. Iu the secon d
department the difference 10 not so great.
The great metropolitan papers as teach
err may DO compared with the principal
osnssrs Of learning with their thousands
Of students and graduates, and the little
local journal to the preceptor Of coun.
try public school with score or two Of
pupils. Though they thus differ widely
in the extent and weight Of their inHu-
sncs. still the principal which should
govern both classes is the same. They
are both teachers Of the people. In
honor they are equally bound to uphold
the right and denouncs the wrong. The
motives which should govern them
should be the promotion Of the best in.
tsrssts Of their fellow citizens, the I'D
vancemsnt Of learning. respect for the
laws and increase the sum Of human
happiness. To do this they must be act
uatsd BY no mean and sordid motives.
They must raise above petty jsalousiss,
eschsw the indulgence Of merely personal
feelings. but forgetting seldsh purposes.
speak and ask hearing for the sake Of
their cause; the promotion of the hap
piness Of mankind. by raising 1t from
the miro Of evil and pointing out the
horrible mental and moral dizziness Of
the vicious, corrupt and selfish. In this
respect the provincial press can do as
much in proportion to the sphere of its
influence as its metropolitan brethren.
The assertion and support Of the right
always pays best in the long run. The
people love and respect the man that
dares to do right because it is right and
will support and trust the paper that
adopts the same rule Of action. 1t 10
this which has caused the success Of the
great Independent papers Of the country.
Partisan papers have ceased to exercise
but little influence in politics or in other
respects. They ahow the cloven foot too
plainly. and when they do support that
which is the better cause. their advocacy
loses its force because their motives are
mistrusted. Thus, then the true source
OF journalistic power, is without respect
to friend or foe. to ask the people to sup
port the good, the just and the honest no
matter who are opposed or are benefited
or injured.