The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-09-04
VANCOUVER INDEPENDENT.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1879.
JUSTICE IN JOURNALISM,

The late San Francisco imbroglio,
which so nearly resulted in the fiercest |
of mob violence the Pacific
Coast has ever experienced, has for its |
cause that element in the
journalism of the day which for the
sake of gratifying vicious public |
craving after sensationalism, oblite-
rates from its policy that keen sense
of justice which so guide and control
all newspapers that they will not pub
lish evil reports except for justitiable
ends and then only after such reports
are proven to be true beyond reason
able doubt. Now there should be such
a thing as justice in journalism the
same as in the judicial department of
the state. In court person accused
of crime is considered innocent until
the contrary is proven, and editors
and publishers of newspapers should
have lesson in this regard. A widely
circulated and influential newspaper
has the power to crush almost any in
dividual in the community if once its
enginery is turned loose for the pur-
pose. An exaggerated report of evil
doings, a mess of scandal, untrue in
fact but having the appearance of
truth, published and sanctioned by
the paper, goes Immediately forth to
call down public judgement upon the
head of the luckless individual, who
may be and often is really innocent of
the charges. The fact that it is but
an eXparte statement made, as is gem
orally the case, by an enemy or through
a combination of enemies, does not
appear inthe paper, and thus without
having an opportunity to be heard,
the victim of malice is tried, con-
demned, sentenced and executed at
the forum of public opinion, and has
no resort but to move for a new trial
and ask to be heard on the case. And
notwithstanding he may plead mas
terly defense he can never wholly de-
strOy the bad opinion the public may
have formed by reading the first re-
port. No matter how innocent man
may be, in these days of official dis
honesty and private delinquency, the
world will say, whatever the defense
may be, 80 much smoke indicates fire
somewhere"
In the editorial rooms of the news
papers should be found men who, hav.
ing keen sense of justice, will not
assail anybody and especially those
who occupy positions of social or po-
litical distinction, until by diligent
inquiry and evidence sufficient to con-
vince a juryman in court, they are
satisfied the charges are true and that
it is the publics interest and business
to know them. An editor who is any
thing short of this is not what he
should be, does not properly compre-
bend the dignity and requirements of
his position and deserves the censure
of all upright and fair minded people.
Brethren of the press let US demand of
S~Sh othVi d iiSHcl stdilu OI tIlls q ues-
ton than the one which now so widely
prevails. Let journalism be purged
of its jackals who delight to serve
feasts of moral stencil and rottenness, |
and in their place be put men, fair
minded men, whose sense of Justice
Will guarantee protection to individ-
ual honor and domestic sanctity.
There is such a thing as abusing the
liberty of the press and as this liberty
is one of the things the American peo-
pie boast of, there is demanded a
higher estimate of its responsibilities
by editors and publishers than is found
in those countries where the freedom
OF the press is abridged.
The Indian campaign east of the
Rocky Mountains is now finished for
this season. Col. n. A. Miles arrived