Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-07-09

: the state debt question. Men ma
come and men may 90, but his col
stantly recurring plaiitudes will g
on for 50 years, or unEil he pays tn
! debt of nature and gets hold of
new idea in another world.
| Hereisa pessimistic friend. Every
| thing goes wrong in the world, an
he takes infinite pains 10 let tn
world know that he lis not blessed
His mission is to reconstruct things
and he meets with limited success
he grumbles at fate and makes aw
ful predictions Of impending ruin
Strangely enough, however, the SUI
continues to shine, the stars looI
down as calmly as ever, the season
come and go, and the obstinate
world persists in wagging on.
Several of my eStes5ned contem
porarieS have an easy way of writ
ing editorials. They write Will
the scissors, which they esteem
lnightier than the per-. They Civ,
their readers the opinion of othel
men and none of their own. Thi:
may be a judicious plan, but il
would be interesting to have an Oc
casional opinion from them. It i:
pleasant to note, however, that they
generally give the proper credit.
] take up from my table trim.
mer; for there are triinmers among
newspapers as there are among po-
liticians. The editor of this paper
never expresses an opinion until he
is satisfied that it viii be popular.
When question of public impor-
tance is presented he touches it in
cautious and evasive way If he
speaks of it at all, until he finds out
what the community will think OF
it. Ii a majority regard PROPOSE
tion favorably he becomes eloquent
in lis support; if the indications are
clear that a majority condemn it or
regard it with disfavor he comes
down on it like thousand bricks,
What they want he wants, what
the popular mind rejects he rejects
without hesitancy. He goes with
the tide, and is the only true, gen.
uine, unadulterated and disinterest-
ed friend of the people. Patent ap.
piled for.
Here is a familiar old friend. 1t
is an organ, party organ. 1t goes
for the party right or wrong. 1t
lives for and on the party; it would
probably die for the party. What
ever the party does is right. Every
thing in the party is symmetrical
and beautiful. The party candi-
dates are gentlemen ofextraOrdinary
ability and uneXampled integrity
of character. The opposing candi-
dates are willy demagogueS, idiotic
numbslulls, or designing cOnspira-
tors, whose sole aim in politics IS to
undermine the republic, ruin and
impoverish the country and wan
tonly destroy the happiness of the
people. 1t never publishes an ex-
tract from an opposing journal, nor
any news item that in any possible
way could reflect credit upon the
party. 1t furnishes its
readers with entirely orthodox
matter, which praises its own par
ty leaders and glorifies the party
methods. Whatever the party man
ayers dictate the party organ pro-
claims and supports. | must say
that, whatever may be its merits
(and the organ is often very ably
/ do not admire its
methods. If a country paper be an
organ, it should be the organ of its
editor. Be he never so earnest an
advocate of party principles, he
should have independence enough
to condemn when centure is needed,
and be liberal and charitable enough
to commend what is worthy of COM
even though it be found
in the conduc9 and purposes of the
The power and infiu-
encc of newspaper depend upon
the power and adaptability of the
intellect which controls it, and 10
carefully and conscientioualy weigh
the grave questions which affect the
public interests, and to impress his
own convictions upon the public
mind, directing, moulding and un-
flying the public thought, constitute
the highest duty and prerogative of
The journalist. OF course in this
work there should be no exclusion.
If the views of others. He should
invite criticism, encourage the prop
er presentation of contrary views, |
md make his paper free medium
or communication of ideas, and |
he intelligent discussion of the mat
ers of general interest. BY this |
of views, his own Opin- |
ons, if they be valuable, are more
orcibly impressed upon the public |
mind; and his influence and useful |
less as a journalist are enhanced.
The journals upon my exchange |
H. 4, n
lent of parties can be counted on
me or two fingers. While l think
.bsolute independence is essentially
JtOpian, there is degree of indie
Iendence to be reached which may |
70 very exasperating to the organs.
fhe true idea of independence is to
,e free to chose between parties for
0 long as political parties exist
here must be journals to uphold
nd MAINTAIN party principles. The
journal, if it deal with
,ublic questions at all, must make
choice, even though it be a choice
'etwcen evils. When the choice is
made, for the time at least, the equal
ty of its independence is decidedly
trained An armed and bristling I
falls short of my idea of
journalism.
In large majority OF country pa
ers the local department is made
he leading feature. This is as it
hOuld be. The country weekly is
local paper. Itshould
i've especial attention to home af-
airs, encourage in every legitimate
1ay the development of home re-
)urces, foster home enterprises, and
Irnish all information of a local
haracter that may be of interest to
8 readers. How we'll this function
( the paper is utilized is evidenced
Y the many sprightly, newsy eX-
hanges that come to my table.
tut this can be carried TO extremes,
nj local journalism presents some
urious eccentrieities. One editor
ill devote almost his exclusive at
ention to local paragraphs. He
as a certain amount ofspace which
lust be filled up with strictly local
eWs, whether there is any news or
OF. No matter how Insignificant
n occurrence may he, it issufiicient
sr a paragraph. He pOunces upon
he trivialest happenings like "a
uck on a june-bug. A runaway
orse ellie its a feeling of grateful APP
recitation. A dOgfight is a bOnan-
/. Ii an esteemed citizen fall and
reak his neck, the grief of the en-
,rprising editor, though profound
nd heartfelt, does not exclude a
land satisfaction as he rounds up |