Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-06-30
EDITORS AND THEIR RIGHTS

editors and respectable correspondents
for the press who make that their
chief business, are a laborious class Of
men, mentally, rs much and even more
80 than any other Of the men al pro
LESSONS, and yet in nine casea out Of
every ten are much more poorly com-
pensated for their labor. Again it
seems to be the opinion of many that
an editor O: correspondent Of public
journal should have but little of indie
pendencc CT thought, but should al
ways think and write in the same or
similar channel WI h the patrons Of the
paper. This is abou. universally so
when we speak Of partisan papers, the
rank and file of party, if they can
possibly prevent it will not suffer their
editors to step outside Of the party
grouve without subjectiug them to the
charge Of heresy. The same is true
of papers established to he the expo
nan. of any class of business, or pro-
fession. If these deport in the least
from the constant habit Of giving the
greatest prominence to that business or
profession, their editors are censurea
and soon ignored. The power of the
public press is so universally acknowl-
edged that at the present day no great
enterprise in business of any kind, me-
chancal business, merchantile business
railroadng, steamboating mining or
agriculture, can hope to succeed well
without the aid Of the press, and yet
in the great majority of cases they seck
the columns of newspapers for the least
possible cost, and they DO 50 obtain
them, and when they are thus obtain.
ed they become to great extent only
subservient tools Of just a single fac
tional interest Of the whole people who
read their journals. Every article in
them is tempered by one factional rule
and they are wholly destitute of indie
pendent thought. A few editors have
shaken off the shackles that bound
them and struck out boldly for truth
and independence in all things, and
have succeeded in making permanent
their success, while scores of Others
have attempted to do the same, bu,
have been crushed and crowded down
by the partisan and factional interests
that have assailcd them. 1t is true
that the poverty and dependence upon
others of some editors and writers for
the public press that almost their ex.
istence has depended Upon their sub
serviency to others who had money
and influence, while could they have
done so they would have spoken indie
pendantly as journalists. Such may
possibly be excused for their subservi
ency, but never justified, and thei
productions written under such sub
servieney are not worthy of confidence
and all such journals tend to lap anc
undermine the true liberties of thu
people; while we maintain that the ed
itor OF an independent journal is poor
ly paid in most cases, and has claim.
upon all men engaged in great enter
prises that affect the public, and thai
all reasonable favors should be be
slowed upon him to facilitate hi,
means of seeing the whole countr,
about which he writes and of knowing
how and IN what manner these enter
prises are affecting the great public
Yet to suppose for one moment thu
because these favors are shown him h,
must of course refrain from ceusurinl
what he finds to be an evil in the con
Quoting these enterprises, is suppo
sition that is not in the least narrated
by the duties he owes to the crea
public, whom he should serve, and NJ
man has the right to set himself up a
an educator of the public as iourna;
list who will submit tamely to oppres
sions against his independent though
and expression. lie had better fec
swine for living or do any other me
NAL service and not claim an atiinit,
with public journalism in any of it
departments. 1t is SQUIRE of ex
treme satisfaction to US when we rea,
an independent production in news
paper, that is manly and candid, an,
not splenetic and full Of meaningless
anathemas, approving only when ap