The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-07-27

however, llt SUN CONTINUES w HHlnc,
the stars look down as calmly rs evert
the seasons come and 60, and the 90.
stinate world persists in wagging on,
Several of my esteemed contempora-
ries have an easy way Of writing edi-
torials. They write with the scissors,
which they esteem IA mightier than the
pen. They give their readers the opin-
ions of other mcn and none of their own.
This may be Il judicious plan, but it
would be interesting to have an occa-
sional opinion from them. 1t is pleas
ant to note, however, that they generally
give the proper credit.
take up from my table trimmer
for there are trimmers among news
papers as there are among politicians.
The editor of this paper never eXpresse;
an opinion until he is satisfied that is
will he popular. When question of
public Importance is presented he touch
es it in Il cautious, evasive way, if he
speak of it at all, until he finds out
what the community will think of it.
If Il majority regard proposition IA
vorably, he becomes eloquent in its sup.
port if the indications are clear that a
majority condemn it or consider it with
disfavor he comes down on it like q
thousand bricks What the people want
he wants, what the popular mind re-
jccts he rejects without hesitation. He
goes with the tide and is the only true,
genuine, unaduIterated and dsntcrested
friend of the party, Patent applied for.
Here is familiar old friend 1t is an
organ, party organ. 1t goes for thd
party right or wrong. 1t lives for an
ON the party it would probably die for
the party, Whatever the party does is
right. Everything in the party is sym
metrical and beautiful. The party can
didatcs are gentlemen of extraordinary
ability, and of unexampled integrity of
character The opposing candidates are
willy demagogues, idiotic numskulls, or
designing conspirators, whose sole aim
in politics Is to undermine the republic,
ruin and impoverish the country and
wantonly destroy the happiness of the
people. 1t never publishes an extract
from an opposing journal, nor any news
item that in any possible way could re-
fleet credit upon the opposing party. 1t
furnishes its readers with entirely Ortho-
dox matter, which praises its own party
leaders and glorifcs the party methods.
Whatever the party managers dictate
the party organ proClaims and supports,
must say that whatever may be its
merits, and the organ is often very ably
conducted, do not admire its methods.
If a coultry paper must he an organ, it
should be the organ OF its editor BE
there never so earnest an advocate OF
party principles. he should have indie
pendencc enough to condemn when cen
sure is needed, and he liberal and char
liable enough to commend what is
worthy of commentator, even though
it be found in the conduct and purposes
of the opposton The power and in
nucnce OF a newspaper depend upon the
power and adaptability Of the intellect
which controls it, and to carefully and
conscientiously weigh the grave qucs-
lions which affect the public interests,
and then to impress his own convictions
upon the public mind directing, mould
ing and unifying the public thought,
constitute the highest duty and prero-
gativc of the journalist OF course, in
this work there should be no exclusion
of the views Of others. lie should in
wife criticism, encourage the proper
of contrary views, and
make his paper the free medium for the
communication of ideas, and the intel
ligent discussion of matters of general
interest. BY this comparison of views
his own opinions, if they lie valuable,
are more forcibly impressed upon the
public mind, and his influence and
as a journalist are enhanced.
The Journals upon my exchange list
which are avowedly Independent of par
ties can be counted on one or two fingers
While | think the idea of absolute in
is essentially Utopian, there
Is degree Of independence to be reached
which may be very exasperating to the
organs. The true idea of independence
is to be free to choose between parties,
for so long as political parties exist
there must be journals to uphold and
party principles. The indie
pendent journal, if it deal with public
questions at all, must make choice,
even though it be choice between evils.
When the choice is made, for the time
at least, the quality of its independence
is decidedly strained. An armed and
neutrality falls short of my
idea of Independent journalism.
In large ma ority Of country papers
the local department is made the leading
feature. This is as it should be. The
country weekly is essentially local
paper. 1t should give especial attention
to home affairs, encourage in every legit
innate way the development of home
resources. foster home enterprises, and
furnish all information of Il local char
acter that may be of interest to its read
crs. How well this function of the paper
is utilized is evidenced by the many
sprightly, newsy exchanges that come
20 my table. But this can be carried to
extremes, and local journalism presents
some curious eccentricities. One editor
will devote almost his exclusive atten-
ton to local paragraphs. He has a GER
tain amount of space which must be
filled up with strictly local news,
there il any news or not. No
matter how insignificant an occurrence
may be, it is sufficient to point a para
graph. He pounces on the trivialest
like a duck upon june bug.
A runaway horse elicits feeling of
grateful appreciation. A dog fight is a
bonanza. If an esteemed citizen fall
and break his neck the grief of the
enterprising editor, though profound and
heartfelt, does not exclude bland
as he rounds off graphic
and sympathetic description OF the
occurrence. Business is business, you
know. If he hasn't anything to tell,
he tells it anyhow. If the times are
dull and things move on so
lazily or 80 tremendously that nothing
will happen to break the monotony, he