The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-10-20
MORA Responsibility Of Newspapers.
The Baltimore Bee descants very sensi
bly, upon this topic. It says:


Newspapers have become the necessary
anxiliaries 10 public and private education.
The enterprise and rivalry that has entered
into the business of publishers has made it
necessary for papers TO comprehend the
whole field of news from the most insignih-
cant station house item to the minute details
of foreign war. This character Of rivalry
has had the effect Of increasing the usefulness
of newspapers, and making the information
desirable to the most intelligent reader OBJ
tainable daily for one or two cents. This
rivalry, however, has some danger in it to the
morals of the public, in cultivating yitiated
taste by the publication Of sensational articles.
Public taste governs, to a great extent, the
publisher, and this rivalry often betrays him
into the publication of injudicious articles,
that even il they come under the head of
news had better be mentioned briefly. Since
the newspapers have become a part Of the
curriculum Of educated men and women it is
very important that a high standard should
be taken and always observed by the publish
crs. Sensational articles based very often on
mere rumor involving perhaps the good name
OF q man or woman, or family, ought never
TO be admitted to the columns of newspaper.
The display Of social scandal in any paper
should be reproved by the public by with
drawal of patronage and the editor that
INDUCES in personal abuse ought TO be left
the monopoly of reading his own articles"
We challenge the accuracy of the allu-
sion to the necessity for papers to "com-
prehend the whole field of news from the
most insignificant statiou-house item to the
minute details Of foreign war" One of
the gravest errors which the newspaper
fraternity commit, is the recognition of
this fancied necessity to report "the most
insignificant station-house item" 1t is
feeding the public mind on miserable gar
bage CLEANED from the slums and the gut
ters Of our cities, aud is poisoning the
whole body polite. 1t is especially hurt
full to the young, familiarizing them with
the grossest wickedness of the most aban-
doned of the race, who are stepped in
crime.
'.Vice is a monster Of such hideous mien
That, to be hated, needs but to be seen;
But, seen too oft, familiar with its face
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.
We believe that much of the increasing
immortality of the times may be attributed
to the daily reports in all our papers of
the crimes committed by the wicked and
abandoned outcasts of society. Nothing
is too gross or indecent to shield it from
the reporters pen, and the moral pollution
spumed upon society by the daily press is
sapping its very foundations. There is no
necessity" whatever for the reports of
these station-house items and kindred sub
jeets- They are the voluntary infections
OF the daily press upon society, and society
ought to frown them down by refusing its
support to Journals which daily serve these
nauseatiug doOes to crafty prurient ap-
petite which they themselves have created.
The reading of the yellow-coyered litera-
ture Of the period-the Jack Shepherd,
Dick Turpin, and Jack Harkaway dime
novels,--is moulding the character of the
youth Of the period, and society may ex-
pect an increase Of such heroes upon its
hands. Parents should be as careful about
what their children read as they are about
the company they keep, if they would not
have their morals depraved.