, 1881-01-01
Editorial Duty.

There seems Ia be Il general impression
rule, are hard hearted There may be as
much grounds for such conviction as
there is for the impression that lawyers,
Iudgss and doctors are void of any tender
feelings II must be admitted that some
times, apparently, editors are unfeeling,
and SO are the other professional gentle
men referred IL, but 1t is only IN the line
1t their duty. No editor whose ann is to
render the greatest good To the greatest
number, can allow an ar icle to bc pub
lished III his paper, that viii cause the
slightest tlngc Of pam 10 an individual,
except he is well assured Of the prepon-
derance OF good accomplished in the ult-
mate result. No more does a physician,
whose standard Is AZ honest endcayor to
excel i'll his profession, delight to cause
pam IN every instance he seeks Ia avoid
any needless ini'ction ot suffering But
when stern duty dictates u skillful use Of
the knife or the connection of nauseous
draughts. he does not hesitate tn us. the
one ur prescribe the other, for To Kim,
then, the end sought justifes the means.
Newspaper editors must chronicle the
news, and these papers which contain the
fullest accounts nf the latest interesting
happenings are the best patronized and
editors do not all labor for glory. 1t Is
al unpleasant duty 10 publish the crimes
ot man who has never before been sus-
pected Of wrong doing II show the de-
vious ways he was walking when the en-
tire community considered HIM the embod-
lment Of honesty and business integrity
Ii Is unpleasant - refer to the humiliation
and grief into which his family is plunged
by the exposure of the husbands and
fathers acts, but Il becomes the duty Of
the editor so to DO, If he expects 10 keep
his word with the public and give them
the n.tr>
Newspapers nowadays are more power
ful IN the work of suppression OF crime
than The police MANY man whu would
not hesitate 10 break the laws. # the risk
were only detection, arrest. trial and con
Iiction stops and Turns the other way.
when the thought ii newspaper exposure
flashes across ms mind Pe,al. al" rh:nk,
cannot blame an editor iur Mt = rfarra-
ing his duty in the chroni,lias .f wran--
dong rs well IS right dong and although
the Innocent are sometimes mad ro sltFr-
for the misdseds # the guilty still, III.
blame lies not with the editor, hut with
the wrong deer, who risAei the hanpiness
al others IN becoming suhjec- II news
paper comment IL Is to- late nov -,
tah abOu: the methods uf eanincrinU
newspapers, regarilng IAe exposure OF
fraud, that matter has become A settled
fact, the fullest exp. sure Is the thinr unan-
lm"usly decided upon. and the n,mos.
condemnation IS the portion allotted
sronc-d"-rs- II the blow falls heavily
upHn the innocent friends and rel-r-res
oi the guilty party, the more blsl. ..--
iaches 10 him. The editor has simp,y
performed his dnty, and is sorry that II
Was So positively incumbent upon him.
As the judge who curdvgsns the ruilty
criminal does 50 with fe-.ins oi sympathy
Tor the rris' ner family, Yet he cannot
release hlm; the sense II right and JUS
tice AMI his ''Sth uf office forbid II. His
heart IS IN the right place, and may beat
Win SYMPATHY, but his onerous duty must
oe performed And So With the editor
gladly would he draw his pen through col
umn after column Of matter, did not his
.'lemn duty require lis publication.
Rather than h-Ing h"s.tic,s editors have
Hhnn AIT Gus l.. bell. hegrt-> *