Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1881-09-09
POLITICAL NEWSPAPERS.

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The newspapers Of the present day
generally indulge to greater or less ex-
tent in political discussions, cham.
picning one or the o.her great parties
or assuming the independent role, as
they style it, thus Indicating that they
are not content with abusing one party
but that they must have a chance to
abuse all political organizations. The
selfstyled independent political papers
are usually distrusted from the fact
that they have LACK Of independence
sufficient to make them take decided
stand for or against any particular
principle or party. It IS an easy mat
ter for man or a paper to denounce
.he views of all others. while at the
same time, it is next to impossible to
get anything like a sensible declara-
ton of convictions from that man or
paper upon any Of the live issues of tn:
day. Hence the boasted independence
is shown to be more often cowardice or
lack of confidence, and the result Is
that the paper claiming to be an mde-
pendent political paper. is neither a
moulder, reflector OF leader of public
opinion.
What the people want, be they re-
publicans or democrats, is a plain out
spoken paper Git political at ally, one
that represents axed convictions and
principles, one that is not afraidto ex-
press itself freely and fully upon any
question that may come up. During
political campaigns these papers are
usually so earnest in the advocacy of
their partizan views that they become
abusive, even bitterly so, and although
this is wrong, these things are over
looked because it is during the heat Of
political excltement;-a time when
even the women and children, are in.
terested in, and discuss politics. But
when the election IS over, (and it is for
tunate that these excitements are only
periodicaD politics, to a certain extent
drops out of the minds and converse
tons ofthe people, and should be also
dropped from the newspapers. The
reader becomes tired ofso much politi-
cal discussion and longs for change.
variety, something more sui ted to his
taste, Just as an individual will become
tired of a constant diet of salt pork.
Again, what is to be gained by keeping
up constant abuse of the opposite
party, or its individual members, es-
pccially when there are many months
to elapse before another cam paign ap-
pears. Itwould seem that some pa
pers were run with the express purpose
of making every member of the op-
posite party who reads the paper,
angry, and that only people Of their
own political ideas are expected to
take them. This does not arse from
the depraved tastes ofthe people, but
from the lack of judgement, or inclina-
ton to say mean things, upon the part
of the editors. There is no excuse, at
time like this, when politics are of
little interest to the people for an ed
itor to fill his columns with long, windy
political articles, or those full of abuse
ofpeople who are as honest in their
convictions as the writer himself; and
the paper that does it ought to be read
only by its party friends.
The conductors of newspapers may
be just as earnest in their political con-
victions and the paper may just as well
retain the confidence of the people re-
garding its political integrity without
filling its columns with matter assailing
the political opinions of others. The
news and matters of general interest is
what the people want now, and politics
in its season.
The man who would feed his guests
on ice cream in mid winter or fresh oys.
tiers in June, would be considered lit
of, yet he would not be any more so
than the editor who breaches politics
now.