The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-26
NEWSPAPER RIVALRY.

bNSs iioc W very ubOohlPiiHhthtaiy utNSi-
ances. Good breeding and the usages of
good society, however, agree that naught
should be said of even a rival, unless some
thing good. Newspapers become often
rivals for the public's favor ana patronage,
but there is no reason why the management
should not strictly observe the decorum
and pursue the example set by gentle
men IN less public cases, aud say nothing
rather than fall into abuse. There are two
very excellent reasons for the latter course.
In the flrst place, u loss of dignity by u pro.
iessedly great and legitimate journal and
resort to abuse indicate both bad
temper and weak cause, and in the
second place, generally manufacture
sympathy for the object of attack. In.
deed so automatic is this proposition that
when 1t is unheeded the forgetiu party is
set down as a very small potato. In view of
such recognized truths, therefore, the con-
troyorsy that for u short time past has
been progressing in Cincinnati between
such large and influential Journals as the
Enquirer and Gazette on the one hand and
the Commercial on the other, is as foolish
and inexplicablo as IL is laughabe and hot.
we should look for mining camp and
border town journals to ridicule or abuse or
attack IN any manner whatever, that
might suggest itself, some rival for Journal
ism there like the society by which it is
mRldod, is not supposed to deal in the re.
iinements and dictates OF more settled
community, but when the courtcses and
dignity looked far from the successful me-
tropolitan journal are droppod. and
Vituperatlon, coarse personal abuse
and private affairs are re-
sorted to instead by such great dailies as
those mentioned, the spectacle is not only
an anomalous one, but dcgrades the profess
sion and lowers the standard of journalism
everywhere. The Gazette and ENQUIRER.
and in return the Commercial, have been
characterizing each other for the past two
weeks, or rather the respective proprietors
thereof, as IDIOTS, knayes, liars, robbers.
towards, and other equally choice express
sions. II all they said were true, the man.
ner, occasion and mode of expression are
grossly Objectionable, violatiye of good
taste, and nauseating to the public. What
II man pays for paper is money expended
for the news of the day and an intelligent
and decent comment thereon, and a discus
sion, IN an appropriate way, of subjects of
current and general interest He has a
right to expect that he will get that,
and nothing more. What are the
rivalries or differences, individually, to him2
Or what cares he for ono journals opinion
OF another. When the latter character of
matter is constantly hashcd up to him he is
uijustly dcrauded ofhs money and it will
invariably be found that that paper alone
achieves success or wins tn, confidence and
respect of the public, which, not seeming to
notice that there's any other journal beside
itself, addresses itself to the Legitimate pur.
suits OF its CALI and mission and strives
only to educate aud interest the public
whose servant 1t is at the same time. A
controversy therefore, such as the one men.
Uohou' ana originating purely in what
should be M honest and courteous rivalry
nothing else, is not only ridiculous, child.
like and contrary to sound bust
ness sense, but doubly to be re.
GREETED us lowering and debasing the
profession, The paper, like the man, who
succeeds, is only that one which attends to
its own business exclusively, aud does no.
lose sight of it to waste It's time aud energy
in discussion of the merits, shortcomings
or pccularties Of n prosperous or even
falling rival, or the private character and
idiosyncracics of it's rivals editors or pro.
prictors. True journalism is based upon
u higher code of ethics, Hs well as business
maNims, and it is singular that many OF
our metropolitan journals even, iguorc this
fact 1t is encouraging, however, to know
that the standard is constantly becoming
higher.
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