The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-06-02
INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.
We take to day, from the BrOzos Bryan
Pilot one of the best edited and, Typography
cally, one of the neatest papers on our eN'
change list, an article capiioned "lndepend-
ent journalism" wherein issue is joined with
us on that now considerably discussed sub
ject A couple of days ago we took occasion
to furnish few arguments in reply to SIM
liar article in the Mckinney Advocate, and
which, with equal appropriateness, apply rs
a complete answer to the editorial in the
Pilot. In prelering our plea for independ-
ent journalism, we were laboring not solely
in our own interest but in behalf of our es-
teemed contemporaries of even the Pilot
as well, as we desire the co opera
ton of all such skill and ability in
cause that will elevate the great profess
sionin which they and ourselves are en- Jagged,
the fourth estate in the realm that is destined
to continue as it has begun TO rise beyond
the position of mere color-bearer for any
party or sect. A religious paper is all very
well, political paper equally so, and the
commercial or the industrial journal is in the
same category. These have each their re-
spective spheres and functions to fulfill, and
their proprieturs must So leCt their own
methods, but the paper purportng to
be real newspaper, according to
our theory, sustained by actual practice
aud successful results, is that medium
of communication with the great public for
all the news of the day, the photographs, rs
it were, of all its events and vital issues MS
the shifting scenes in liie's varying drama
present themselves, accompanied by COM
ments, if Hood be, 1t must be an impartial
representative, must do these things fairly, 1t
is not MS tho lawyer that is retained and feed
to plead only one side Of n case, but rather as
Judge that it is to act, reviewing the whole
case, the people being as the jury. In the
comments of the editor there is u sort of
judgeship of the court of First
Instance, while the readers the peo-
Pile, arc as an Appellate court Of
last resort. 1t is not as
sectarian that it is employed to expound the
doctrines of n sect from one standpoint, but
as historian that should present fully and
conscientiously the status of things. 1t is as al
encyclopedia of important subjects for the
existing and coming generations. This is Is
mission, this its duty, and when it fails tc
conform hereto il becomes false to its prom.
ises and recreant in its Obligations to its sub,
scribers. Hence such a paper may have
occasion to sustain party, Il politician or 8
measure at ONE time, while altered circumstan'
ces or conditions may require its condemns
tionin the future. That a partisan journal car
be honestly conducted within its restricted
field, no man dare gainsay, for contradiction
"thicll rs leaves in Valambrosa' would NEE
him at every point, and in the shape of som,
of the ablest papers in the land, and some o
the best in this State, of which number is tn,
Pilot one. The proposition, however, tina
Independent journalists must discard pre-
objections, honest convictions and sense o
duty for gam in dollars and cents" is similar
in nature as would be the assertion that be
cause one is n banker or an attorney, there
for no shall discard The doctrine of Cath
olicism or M,thodism, or the practice O
hunting or of dressing in black
There is in the one case MS much relevanc,
and logical sequence as in the other. ther
reverse of the proposition we, perhaps, find {
rule, the term "independcnt of itself imply
ing and involving the idea of absence Of de
pcndence. The independent paper belongs
like book or magazine, to nobody but it
proprietor, and maintains no doctrines, sus
tains no measures that are nj variance will
what ought to influence the conduct of ever,
good and Independent citizen. As for th
money making interest, we are under tn
impression that of such is the purpose O
most if not all of the business pu
suits of life so far as we know then
whether these are found in the manufacture G
pins or the publication ola book, the tillin,
ofthe so |, the singing of the cantatrice o
the publishing of newspaper. And it S
happens that the intelligence of the nine
teenth century demands, honors and appre
ciates simultaneously the largest quantum o
intelligence plus the purcst quality of fai
dealing, hence the generally attendant none
gain to the independent newspaper is, in it
last analysis, the Legitimate result of con
: forming to the requirements of liberalize
age.