Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-09-15
A CLEAN FIGHT.

1t begins to look as if the campaign
was about to drift into q personal con-
troversy between editors. This IS a
thing to be avoided, as the newspapers
need all their ammunition for the candi-
dates. As long as a journalist keeps out
of public life and attends to the business
of running his newspaper there is no
reason why any other newspaper man
should open filth batteries upon him.
Personal peculiarities of writers are
matters of no moment in a political
campaign. Nevada has been noted for
the virulence and venom OF its political
struggles. There is no reason why this
campaign should not be conducted upon
the level of gentlemanly discussion, and
it is in the hands of the press to keep it
clean. No man resorts to a slop bucket
in a fight who thinks he can handle a
sword. The moment a journalist resorts
to filth throwing he stands before the
public as an acknowledged novice in his
profession. Let us have a good, clean
fight all around this year, and the coun-
try will not lose anything by it.
The above well-timed article is from
the Carson Appeal of last Tuesday. In
the same issue of that paper, however,
we find Lieutenapt-G Governor Adams re-
ferred to as "a man noted for crafty
evasion, insincerity and ignorance"
Does the Appeal presume to start its
"olean fight" in this way? 1t is not the
disposition of the SENTINEL to stand
between any candidate of the Demo
aFatic party and legitimate criticism, nor
will it stoop to c~riticise Republican can
didates for Office in any but a legitimate
way. By legitimate criticism we mean
that which is truthful. 1t is the right of
the people to know all about those who
aspire to be their servants and manage
their affairs. II the truth hurts, that
cannot be helped; it must be told. The
allegiance Of the press is due first to the
people. They should be told fairly and
honestly by the press who the men are
that are soliciting their votes. When a
newspaper Whites a good man, or extols
a bad one, it f~orfeits its claim to respect.
ability, unless, perhaps, it errs through
ignorance" In saying that Adams is
"a man noted for crafty evasion, insin-
cerity and ignorance" the Appeal either
makes an ugly misstatement through
ignorance (which we would prefer to
believe), or else prefers to deal in mali.
cious mischief, which, for the sake of its
''clean fight" we would rather believe it
incapable of. AS a candidate for Gov
srnor of the State, it will be proper and
right for the Appeal to show wherein he
has ever been guilty of '~'crafty evasion"
or 'insincerity," or that he is Gig
norant." The Appeal should substan-
tiate its charges, or else retract them,
and acknowledge the error by which it
was led to ~scandalize an innocent candi-
date. Mr.. Adams is not a man learned
in books, though by no means illiterate.
Though he may have had as little culture
IN belles-lettres as the editor Of the
Appeal, he enjoys the reputation Of being
a shrewd business man, while during the
eight years he has served as President OF
the Nevada Senate he was considered
one of the brightest parliamentarians the
State has eve produced. His ''ignor-
ance," in some respects, is like that of
Governor Bradley, and it will not handi-
cap him before the people. Will not the
Appeal, in discharge of its duty to the
public and in simple justice to itself. give
some properly authenticated instance of
Adams "orafty evasion" or "insincer-
Until it does so it should not
lecture the press in SO lofty a manner on
the subject of a 'clean fight" 1t should
make it's charges good, or at onoe with
draw its heightened lecture and admit
that it has chosen the 'slop bucket for
its weapon in this political fight.