Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-10-25
Aanraster flltclligenrer.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. OCT Is. lee2

9dnraSter flltclltgenrer.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. OCT Is. les2
The Evil OF Journalism.
4 platform speaker has well said that
the three curses of journalism are rumor-
ism, sensationalism and personalism, or
personality. Journalists. like other men,
work for living, and as much more as
they can get. Most Of them, however,
(unhappily we cannot say ALL especially
the men of power in the profession,
realize that there rests upon each writer
and editor responsibility not associated
with any other secular calling. These
seek the truth and earnestly uphold it.,
laboring zealously to promote the gen
eral welfare. There are others, men Of
brains, energy and skill, who seen to be
destitute of conscience, and whose sole
aim is to drive a thriving business and
fill their Golfers, regardless of duty or
honor. These pirates have fastened
themselves so firmly on the press that it
seems to be impossible to shake them of,
but their demoralizing and corrupting
influence is on the decline. Rumorism
and sensationalism do not "pay" as
they did q little while ago : while the
general thirst for news is as great as
ever, there is an imperative public de-
mand FOR honesty and reliability in the
press, and those journals are the most
successful and influential which furnish
the facts and not the rumors of the day.
But personality runs wild through the
press and is the evil and disgrace of the
hour. This is particularly the case in
times like the present, when an exciting
and bitter political contest is pending.
1t is deplorable fact that an American
citizen cannot to-day enter the political
arena, except at imminent risk of that
which is priceless in value, his good
name. No reputation is safe from the
poisonous breath of personal slander.
The more enviable the reputation, the
nobler the character, the more vindictive
will be the assault, the more persistent
the effort to vilify and degrade. The
nation is struggling through sea of
political corruption, and there is a uni
versal cry for deliverance from the
clutches of bad men. Everywhere move
ments are in progress, having for com
mon object the publication OF the politi.
cal atmosphere, but when candidates are
to he named very many of those who
should lead the fight shrink back they
are actually afraid to enter the field. On
every avenue leading to political honor
and emolument they see posted conspicu-
ously the word-danger. They know
that every highway is flied with lurking
slanderers. 1t takes a very brave MI n
to 60 forward, for they are few, indeed.
who run the gauntlet in safety.
The political stump, although still a
leading feature of our campaign. is no
longer the centre of power the press is
the deciding influence, that which makes
and unmakes men. An oratOrical blath.
erskite may bitterly rail at an honest and
thoroughly fit candidate from the plat
form, and recklessly assail his public
and private character, but the incident
is soon forgotten. 1t has no weight, it car.
ries no conviction. 1t is the carefully
worded inCendo, damaging rumor and
mean suggestion, scattered through the
press, like the seeds of poison, and kept
continually before the public that slowly
undermines the victim of such dastardly
work breaks the confidence of the peo.
pie in his integrity and capacity, and
does him irrerarabie injury. The press
teens with this dissraceful, rninous pei
sonality. On every hand public men
and candidates for public honors are
fiayed. Il is high time the reputable
journalism Of the country put the brand
of condemnation upon this vile work.