Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1879-09-27
NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLIC MORALS
tFrom the st. Louis Republican,

The refusal of the New York World
to publish the elaborate details OF the
alleged scandalous misconduct of the
Rev. Joseph p. Thompson, and the
expressions of approval as to its
course by other prominent journals,
may, we hope, prove the beginning
of ii journalistic reform in such mat
ters. The tone of society and the
tendency of the press in the Uhited
States OF late years have not been of
Il very elcvating character in refer
ence to sensational scandals. The
amazing journalistic enterprise eX-
hibited in the large cities of the Union,
and the improved facilities for gath
erimg news, together with the keen
rivalry between newspapers, have
wonderfully furnished the mirror
of the press. 1t no longer reflects
merely the events Lf a narrow local
circle, but the whole life of society,
aud turns the lights on the stage and
lifts the curtain, whether the per-
formers are ready for public appear
ancc or not. This wholesale pictur-
| lug of life, showing everybody what
is going on, whether good or bad,
hiding nothing of humanity, is one of
| the most remarkable echaracteristicsof
modern civilization; aud in the hard
school of life we do not know but it
aids to strengthen and enlighten the
public conscience. 1t enables the
| journalist, in the words of much
abused and long-suHering quotation:
"ro shoot folly as she flies and catch
the manners living as they rise :" to
assist virtue by exposing the vicious;
to protect the substantial and useful
by hunting down frauds aud imita-
tions. This turning-on the lights Is
often, we admit, somewhat unfortu-
nate in private affairs, but even those
who resent it are ware OIL its frequent
benefits. 1t flashes on rogue, and
lantcrn;" and only for its existence
many IL wrong, public and private,
would be unrighted. a.
Nearly all sensational journalism
and word-painting of society is done
by the reporters OF the press-a body
of men that embraces more talent and
does harder and more unthanktul
work in the interest of society than
any other we know of. There are
members of this body, of course-as
there would be in the same number
of workers at anything else-men Of
depraved tastes and habits, whose
malice and impurity often talnt their
writing but the majority are men Of
education, natural gifts and hOnora-
BILE impulses. 1t is ouly necessary,
in proof of this, to allude to the fact
that in the vast miscellany of human
!; actions daily discussed and portray
. ed, in nine cases out of ten, the re-
! porter's story whether as to facts or
character is correct. He may often
state the truth where there was 10
necessity to have it $50 set down."
or i'll other words no good end to be
gained by telling society anything
about it, bat that is point to be de-
termined by another. 1t is his busl-
ness to state what he heard or saw if
it appear to him to possess genuine
SAVIOR of news. He sees all the sights
, and scenes of metropolitan life and
his facilities for becoming "hardcn-
ed' and dissipatet are of the most
abundant character. 1t is the power
of his pencil that makes the penetrat-
| ing and prevailing power of the press
possibility. He is all Indispensable
figure i'll society.
1t is not, however, in reference to
the holding of the mirror up to ma
ture, nor 10 the clear aud minute re-
, Election of society's doings, that a re-
. form i'll journalism is needed. 1t Is
| in the suppression of unnecessary de-
tails of vicious and criminal acts,
such as lust and passion love to feed
upon, i'll the use OF moderate lam
guage and illustrations, in shutting
) the door against private and malicious
scandals and i'll avoiding intemper-
ate and unfair criticisms. 1t would
impair the usefulness Of the press
to abridge its reflection of society,
but shutting out dirty aud malicious
stories, omitting to "interview"
every social and political blatherskite
who wants to talk, whether he is a
foreign communist or native scoun-
drel, refraining from furnishing up
murder, suicide or adultery with a
! fringe of horror or of ornament and
+ such like intellectual pyrotechnics,
that make some of our newspapers
sound like bedlam broke loose, will
i'll no manner curtail newspaper Gil
terprise. These things can be avoid
ed without I'M uring a hair on the
blessed head of American journalism,
and until they are avoided there will
be truth Ill the criticism that, in
| giving prominence TO the minuti9 of
, vile things, in furnishing facilities for
, slanderers and pabulum for the
3 prurient, the press is not very de-
cidcdly improving the morals OF the
nation.
The democratic party needs discipline
, Let those men who are with 1t only be.
cause they fear to leave it, either give
1t their undivided adhesion or 60 to the
l enemy. The party should stand by its
principles, yielding not one of them, and
5 acknowledge as leaders only men who