The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-10

sWerflnS Huellty ever since, are approved
and corroborated by the experience and
statements of great journalists in the
nations metropolis, where heretofore the
press has been so decidedly partisan But
we quote "For more reasons than we have
space to allude to, the present appears to be
an epoch more favorable to absolutely indie
pendent journalism than any that the
country has known since the Presi-
dency of Monroe. Both of the great
parties are divided on all the liv-
ing issues" and tout of the lax
and dissolving party organizations in due
time will come new parties. The agonies
of their dissolution and of new party births
will demand and secure honest, able, earn
est and independent journalism, which
will require a thorough knowledge of the
history and nature of our institutions, our
government and our Constitution. The
usefulness and power of the old-fashioned
party organs will grow less and less "
Hence Mr.. Cyrus w. Field proposes in this
journal to supply the intellectual wants of
that large, intelligent, unprecedented
and growing class of readers,
whatever their former or present party
affiliations may be, who see so much to con-
denim in the mere organ with its blind and
continuous devotion to any and all planks
and platforms the party convention may
construct, regardless of their wisdom, expe-
ricnce, or conformity to principle. A noble
purpose and one that the HERALD and
other papers have been endeavoring as best
they could to perform here, and that meets
the appreciation of the clear-headcd and
right-thinking of the masses every
where, journalistic freedom as
precious as individual freedom, and
the effort to maintain which
is as commcndable as the effort to knock
the shackles off the slave. To be tied to
the chariot wheels ofany man or party is
debasing to the intellect, and that class of
journals that are beginning to demand the
liberty to act and think as they please on
all questions is steadily on the increase in
the United States. In another matter of
vast moment to the influence and position
which paper will win, and in respect to
which we have been always cautious and
consistent, we again find ourselves sus-
tanned by the position assumed by the Mail
and Express 1t says: owe believe that
newspaper which gives all the news of the
day need not pander to a vicious sensation
alism to achieve success. The records of
vice and crime should be brief and the
larger space be given to the clean chroni-
Giles or what is going on in the spheres of
politics, business, science, art literature, phi
lanthropy and Christian activities" And
again: "It we are digraced and threatened
by corrupt legislation and low tone of
morals in public life, it is because we have
forgotten that the proper functions of gov
crnmcnt are to secure justice and to protect
life and property and have undertaken to
legislate for special interests. 1t is impos-
sible to define exactly where the line should
be drawn practically, but our only safety is
in adhering to the principle that our Gov
eminent has no patcrnal functions to exer-
else over the people. They need no such
tutelage." These are the correct views
of government whatever parties may
say and are identical with those
stated by the HERALD editorially not over
week ago. 1t is a pleasure to
welcome into the ranks a paper that prom
ises to prove so true soldier in guarding
the rights of the people and in intoxicating
sound doctrine, and at the same time ad-
ding to the dignity and influence of the pro-
lession. With reference to our merchant
marine and questions of tariff, we are again
in accord, and on this subject, cannot for
bear another quotation so admirable for its
good sense and the contraction of great
policy within nutshell: LET the Federal
Government take Off the letters it has
put on the free building and buying of
ships and the same irresistible ener-
gies, fertile investments and adventurous
enterprise that have made us masters of
the continent will make us masters of all
the seas and our flag the symbol of the
greatest maritime power on earth before
tHe century goes OUT Anu SO Jne circle OF
independent journalism widens, and with
it the responsibility, dignity, integrity and
influence of the press As individuals we
are becoming too highly civilized to be
bound by any party or creed but these of
right and principle as We may see them,
and the press 10 become truly eff
cient must be equally free. 1t
10 fortunate for the country
that there are those who are bold enough
to cut loose from the old moorings notwith-
standing the snoers and contempt of old
associates and party organs. And yet the
mission the independent press is not to
attack or attempt to break down or oppose
either party or creed as such, for between
these we may have individual preference,
but simply to oppose what We conceive to
be wrong in principle and destructive to the
true aims of government or detrimental to
the people.