The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-09
WHEELING. v. VA, bECEMBER Q, 1857.


Iu his remarks 10 the grand jury, apro.
pos the STIR route cases, Judge Wylic
nade some striking criticisms on news.
papcisand newspaper men. Judge Wylie's
words have not attracted the attention
which might have been expected. Whether
the Judges opinion Is true in whole or in
part, or based altogether on an erroneous
conception, It concerns the press Of this
country to consider.
The Judge said that "the newspapers
were constantly containing scandalous Il.
bels Oh public men and on private charac-
ter, That It was species Of oilense TINT
created more unhappiness and misery in
society, and did more injustice than
any other form Of crime, aud
all probably on printed liz. lie
rather suspected that writer's for peri
odical newspapers had among them
more than the usual proportion Of liars.
They were paid for lying, The more sen.
Ational II lie was, and the more calculated
Il was to blast the peace OF families and
the spcier it WIS, the more paper would
sell; and newspaper men would laugh in
'lerision ut anybody who undertook to talk
10 them seriously about the injustice OF ii
thing OF that kind. lie knew there were
men Of integrity and honesty connected
with newspapers who entertained and
cherished honorable and Christian senti.
ments, and he thought, OH the whole. that
there was m improvement going on in that
respect. Ii the public would cease to put.
ronize such papers as he alluded to, such
low vice and crime would soon die out"
The charge is serious. Happily it il
only partly true. It is unfortunate for the
press and the country that any part Of il is
true. That there are newspapers which
rander to low natures, which delight in
revolving scandals and make the most OF
every immoral thing, is as true us it is Ia
nlcntable aud disgraceiul, That there are
newspapers which revel in the destruction
reputation, and devote much OF their time
toshameinl assaults on public men, lot
be denied.
But that the profession Of journalism is
encountered with more than its fair pro-
position Of liars is not true. There arc
more OF them than there ought to be, but
their work is the more noticeable because
they limit in herds, being attracted tothose
newspapers which display Il genius for
lying. Any newspaper reader will have in
mind such newspapers, and he must have
observed Tint though they have circulation
they are without influence. Their very
lies have less power for evil because they
are known to emanate from foul and un-
trustworthy source.
\ newspaper is the work OF so many
hands, its raw materials are gathered in
fields 80 various and remote that absolute
accuracy is not always possible. But the
honestly conducted newspaper is known
byagood general average, m all-peryading
desire to do right, speak the truth and hurt
nobody without good cause.
The decent newspaper which would
rather speak well Of u man-thouyh he be
opposed to it on every question-than to
silt out his faults aud blast his life, it also
has its reward in the good opinion Of decent
people. Fortunately for society it has in
its own hands the weapon to exercise the
powers Of evil. No newspaper will live
long without public support. Is news.
paper sowing tares? Is it corrupting
youth and debauching n community? Let
it alone-severely, entirely alone, and soon
the auctioneer comes TO conduct the funera
ceremonies tH
There is IN uniailipg iantidote for the
nnison.