The sun., 1883-10-28
Newspapers should be Religious.

Our Presbyterian neighbor, the Ne,r York
Observer, complains that the newspapers
give too much space and too great promi-
nence to reports Of y the crime and scandal
that abound in the caamunity."
Those are the TOPICS it says, +" which oc-
cupy the foremost place, fill the largest space.
are headed In the most conspicuous type, and
are selected for special mention in tho edi-
torial columns" The inference OF the Oh
serrer is that this is an instructive and
strictly commercial supply of the actual de-
mand of the reading public"
But it Is not a fact that crime and scandal
occupy the most space and occupy tho fore
most place in those newspapers which COM
mand the greatest public support. Only SO
much room and so much prominence are
given to them as their Importance as news
requires. 1t is necessary that crimes should
be reported for the information Of the public,
and doubtless the fear OF such publication
detcrs many men from committing them.
AS to mere scandals of only private concern,
properly conducted and sef-respecting
journal lets them alone; but there are other
scandals, in politics and the Government, in
business life, in society, and in the Church,
which newspaper is bound to notice and to
rebuke, as defender Of the public morals.
The ordinary crimes OF the day occupy
only u small part OF the space OF u well
edited newspaper as compared to that given
to politics, for instance, In which the people
have a universal and healthy interest.
| There is not daily newspaper OF great cir
| culation which makes crime and scandal, in
the Observers sense its most prominent
ftrrn Int t.,rv
vanize moribund journals by pandering to q
supposed public taste for gross sensations,
but they have not been successful. Those who
make them find that their sense " Of the de-
munds of the reading public lis much at fault.
| No daily newspaper can secure and keep a
| wide popular support unless 1t wins the re-
| spect OF Its readers. Suspicion OF its moral
soundness, OF the honesty Of it's purposes
and the sincerity OF its declared convictions,
is fatal to the success OF such a journal, II
not Immediately, at least in the end.
The Observer is all wrong, too, when II
says daily newspapers need not be religious
"We do not want them" it remarks, "to be.
come religious papers" But they should be
religious papers; that is, they should be gov.
erned throughout by religious principles
and should not fail to advocate and support
all manifestations Of genuine religion.
In our judgment, The sun is one OF the
chief religious papers OF the United States
1t has circulation among religious people
far larger than that Of any one of the pro-
fesslonally religious journals-a circulation
beside which that Of the Observer, for in
stance. Is small. We should bctray our trust
II We neglected subjects of religion. so vas,
In Importance, SO constantly present In the
most serious thought OF mankind.
DO not want them to become religious
Journalist" That is strange language 30 come
from minister OF religion. We want all oul
newspapers to be religious journals, gov
erned by religious principles, ami we charg,
that they are false to their duty il they pur
sue any other course.