Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-09-24

and attempt to deal with the dldactlc In
fnences of the Press, we cease to be able to
employ generalizations, for here the charac-
teristics held in common by all newspapers
stop.
Thenceforward it becomes as difficult to
describe the American newspaper as it
would be to describe the American mer-
chant, or the American lawyer, or the
American physician, with one set of
phrases and expressions. The didactic in
fuences OF the Press are governed by the
character of the men who direct and edit
the several journals. There is no general
Press spirit which in any way molds or
determines the nature OF this influence.
The newspaper may be distinct help to
the community, or it may be an equally
distinct hindrance. To say that the CON-
munity makes the newspaper is nonsense.
The character of the newspaper is the
character of the men who control it. And it
is also fact that in the end the influence
Of any journal will be measured by the
public belief in the honesty of its pur-
poses. There are several examples, for in
stance, of newspapers which have been
conducted with single eye to profit, and
which have always made their editorial ex.
pressions subservient to the pecuniary
policy of the business. Such papers have
sometimes proved highly profitable. They
have obtained very large circulations. But
they have been thoroughly understood by
the public, who have simply ignored all
their attempts to lead the minds of their
readers. The most influential journals
have indeed never been those which sacri-
feed the most to their cash. boxes nor
have the most useful journals been OF this
character either.
No universal laws can be laid down in
regard to the Press. 1t resembles Liter
ature in this, that it may be turned to the
best or the worst purposes. The average
newspaper perhaps may be compared to
the average man content to get along
quietly, to make comfortable living, to
keep in accord with the responsibilities, to
be faithful to the party, the church, the
social circle. The editorial expression of
this class of journals is simply neutral. It
follows the prevailing current, whatever it
may be. 1t seeks to reproduce the domi-
nant ideas of the locality as nearly as
possible. It voices the superfcialities of
its surroundings. On either side of this
dull but innocuous class of journalism are
the extremes-the best and the worst of
newspaper work. The former embrace
those journals, few in number, but not too
few to discourage hope in the upward
growth of the profession, which are con-
Quoted on basis of thoroughgoing hon.
esty, love for truth, ripe judgment, and
full information. 1t is needless to say
that such journals represent very high
standard of attaiuments, and that they are
qualified to instruct the public on almost
all the subjects which they discuss. The
influence of such papers is decidedly salu-
tary. They are in fact among the most
effective agencies of social development
We cannot have too many of them, nor
are we likely to.
The opposite pole in journalism is repre-.
sented by those papers which are conduct
ed for the purpose of acquiring money and
power only, and which are without scru-
pie in pursuing those objects. Such
newspapers display great energy in the
procurement of news. They are usually
managed shrewdly and in an enterprising
way. They pander to every popular
lust They utilize every scandal. They
employ their editorial columns in black.
mailing enterprises. They seek to acquire
influence by the free use of slander and
detraction. They are in turn demagogues,
libelers, falsi6ers of history and fact, ca.
lumniators, and purveyors OF whatever is
immoral and popular. They make no ef-
fort to elevate public taste in any way.
On the contrary, they seek only to ascer-
tain what nastiness is most in demand, and
that they forthwith set themselves to sup.
ply. To speak of the beneficent influence
of the press in connection with such jour.
nails is preposterous, for all the influence
they exercise is sinister and malevolent,
and they make the communities which
support them worse in all respects than
fbax, x-on1I 9TH haa1
are few localities which have not had ex-
perience with this kind of journals. Such
papers sell readily, but they do not help
those who buy them in any way. They
furnish the news, it is true, but too fre-
quently they accompany it with an intel
lectual poison.
To understand what the Press is and
does it is obviously necessary to examine
all these different kinds Of journals, and
when the analysis is completed it will
be seen more clearly than before that gen.
eralization upon such subject can only be
misleading. In fact the Press is subject to
the drawbacks and vices and weaknesses
which affect humanity in all its manifesto
tions. There is no general definition which
can be applied to all men, and neither is
there any general definition which can be
applied to all newspapers-the exceptions
noted which we have before referred to.
The tendencies in .he growth Of the Press
are precisely similar to those in the growth
of the people. Individual papers, like in
dividual persons. are somewhat ahead of
thei, gsls.alion ,.ete and there. Others