Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-11-18
The EYH of Journalism.

| d.
The following is from the Ian
caster, (Penn.,) Intelligeneer OF
November 1st, and an essay that
should meet the approval of every
respectable newspaper, in the coun-
ttry: .: -.
A PLATFORM speaker has well said
| that the three curses of journalism
are rumOrism, sensafionaliSm and
personalisR1, or personality. Jour
naIists, like other men, work for a
living, and as much more as they
can get. Most OF them, however,
(unhappily we cannot say all es-
| pecially the men of power in the
| profession, realize that there rests
| upon each writer and editor a re-
| sponsibility not associated with any
other secular calling. These seek
the truth and earnestly uphold 1t,
laboring zealously to promote the
general welfare. There are Others,
men of brains, energy and skill,
who seem to be destitute of con-
science, and whose sole aim is to
drive u 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 deDoral-
izing and corrupting influence is on
the decline. Rumorism and sensa-
tionalism do not "pay'' as they did
awhile ago; while the general thirst
| for news is as great as ever, there is
an imperative. public demand for
honesty and reliability in the press,
and those journals are the most sue
cessful and influential which fur
nish the facts and not the rumors of
the day. .,.l.... lsz5rJ r5 s.lsrE A., q
But personality runs wild through
the press and is the evil and dis
grace of the hour. This is partieu-
larly the case in times like the pres
ent, when an exciting and bitter
political contest is pending. 1t is a
deplorable fact that SIN American
citizen connOt to day enter the po-
litical 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 SANDER. The more envia-
bic 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 a sea
of political corruption, and there is
a universal cry for deliyerance from
the clutches of bad men. Every
where movements are in progress,
having for a common object the
publication of the political atmos-
phere, but when candidates are to
be 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 amolument they
see posted conspicuously the world
danger They know that Il every
highway is filled with lurking SLAM,
derers. 1t takes a very brave man
TO go forward, for they are lew,
indeed, who run the gauntlet in
safety. .l.. 9s.3 D. .ti :.
The political stump, although
still a leading feature in our CAM
paign, is no longer the center OF
power; the press is the deciding
influence, that which makes and
unmakes men. An Oratorical blath-
erskite may bitterly rail at an hon
est and thoroughly fit candidate,
from the platform, and recklessly,
assail his public and private charac-
ter, but the incident is soon forgot
ten. 1t has no weight, it carries no
conviction. 1t Is the carefully
worded inuendO, 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 people
in his integrity and capacity, and
does him irreparable injury. The
press teens with this disgraceful,
ruinous personality. On every
hand public men and candidates
for public honors are fiayed. 1t Is
high time the reputable journalism
of the country put the brand OF con-
demEation upon this vile work. !
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