The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-02-17
Whose DQtY Is Il?

~s va N.y f"f~,
IN all localities, when anything is
or seems to be wrong with public
officers, to rush off to the publisher
Of their newspaper with agrcquest
to "pitch into" the unruly officials
and "show them up.' Many times
there is good ground for complaint,
and many times the whole grum-
bling is based on spiteful feeling
towards said officials.
Now, what we want to get Mt is
this notion that it is the special du-
ty of newspaper publisher to con-
stitute himself the guardian ofpub-
lie interests. 1t is no more his du-
ty than it is the duty of any other
individual in the community, to
look after public welfare! Ifthcre
is corruption in officials, and
movement which may be said to be
general, is progressing to Gust them
from Office, of course, newspaper
publisher fails of his duty if he does
not exert his influence for the ref
ormation. 1t is his duty, as it is
the duty of every person, to give
his influence in favor of right; but
he has the same privilege of all
men to exercise his own judgment
as to how far he may exert himself.
How many times does a newspa-
per man receive visits from persons
who tell a story about some public
official or officials who have failed
to discharge their duty, or have
been guilty of some criminality.
They want the facts published.
They know the facts, and they want
it laid on cred hot" When news
paper publisher tells such men that
he has no personal knowledge of
the acts of tho officials in question,
and that if his informant has per-
sonal knowledge of criminality on
the part of the officers, it is his du.
ty to enter complaint in the courts,
what change comes over the spir-
it of the man. He would like to
reap the benefits Of a reformation,
but is unwilling to do anything,
practically, towards bringing it
about. There are many of these
do-nothings in every community,
and where they are in a majority,
you are pretty sure to find com
munity that is cursed with misman-
agcmcnt of affairs, and will contin-
NC to be so cursed until the people
themselves rise up and become do
something's.
The newspaper can effect nothing
in the shape of reform, without the
voice of the people go with it.
Public affairs belong to the people
and not to any particular individ-
ual. Who ever heard of anything
being accomplished by the interior
ence of a newspaper in public af-
fairs, when the people themselves
persisted in maintaining a spirit of
indifference? If the people care
nothing, so to speak, about the con-
dition of their own public affairs,
when they already know matters
are not being conducted economic
ally and properly, how, in tile name
of common sense, can they ever ex-
pect change TO De wrought! 1t
is true saying, that the quickest
way to bring about the repeal ofan
obnoxious law is to cnfOre it strict
ly. So, in public affairs; if there
is anything under the sun that will
arouse and bring people out of their
dullness regarding tho management
of their own interests, it is to let
corrupt rings manipulate to their
full satisfaction, until financial ruin
and bad name for the community
come with crash, and the people
realize their great loss.
TUX Renuhlicon State Conyan