The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-06-23
Che Democratic adroeate.
WESTMINSTER, MD.
SATURDAY, JUNE %, 1888.
Newspaper Reform.


the investigation of our entire moral, social
and political fabric. The press itself has
oiven to the subject very careful consld-
Grafton, that portion of it at least, which
has the ability to grasp and comprehend
something else beside the mere collation.
and publication of the passing events OF
the day. The Proct' .Sheet, OF New ork,
and Menamins Giycntar, of Philadelphia,
have given special attention to the subject,
and have given publicity to some OF the
best reflections which have been elected by
it's consideration. In this connection we
Give place to the subjoined remarks of Rev.
Joseph Cook, which we find published in
some Of the dailies:
NV chief Indictment is that the American
,,rass does not supply us with news of national
character and importance. Papers are more
or less sensational. We know little OF San
Francisco and Charleston i'll our Northern or
Eastern papers The editors may know, but
the public doesn't By and by we shall have,
by the aid of the telegraph and telephone
and correspondents, a great national daily.
II will. of course, take fortune to found 1T.
don't know where it will be published
perhaps in Chicago. Here you can send
paper four ways; i'll New York and San
Francisco only three ways. when thlS paper
comes all the rest Will look IKE pro'lhciai
rags Then | would pay attention to such
news as decent people care most about, and
suppress carrion. | would have it lynX-eyed
for noble game. Think the Chicago journals
are about as national as any we now have. - In
twenty-five years they will be the best: The
time is coming when it will look benghted TO
publish a sectional paper. We have no
soundlv comprehensive American daily Jour
mails. 1t is sad sight that our dailles are
such cheese curd that when you wiring the
whey ont there is not enough left for a good
weekly. | will tell any journal to its face
that admits Infamous advertisements that l
abbor it. These criticisms must be made.
We have no critical weeklies equal to the
.Sat,rrIay RerieW or the AtheRRum and other
British reviews
There is a coarseness and an unguarded-
ness of expression in the foregoing that
renders the reverend gentleman himself
liable to criticism. Nevertheless, his re-
marks embody modicum of truth, and
deserve consideration. The daily press
with its telegraphic adjunct, is too much
the scavenger of all the filth in the land
which is served up al naUSedm to Its read
ers. This kind of daily pabulum is such
as the vulture seeks, and is not healthy fol
moral or mental assimilation. Many OF oul
most respectable journals allow themselves
an unbridled license in catering to the tastes
of their readers. a case in point We take
from the local columns of the baltimore
Sun of June 18th:
Tom TAYLOR, colored, who is the possessor,
of wooden leg, had LeOnore Caster arrested
upon the charge of striking and assaultine
him. It was in evidence before Justice Tai
bolt, at the southern station, that Sam called
uDon Leonore last Monday night, and during
the interview on the front steps he insisted on
kissing her. Leonore opposed such an adj
vance. upon which Sam bit her on the cheek,
mr.. as she put it, ''shut down on her jaw
and blackened her eye. LeonOre then MADE
4 grab for her lover, who tried to get away,
but his wooden leg forgot its cunning, ana
while one limb pointed toward the road OF
discretion the cork auxiliary refused to be
persuaded to run from the irate l.eonore.
Following up this advantage, she jumped on
Sam and imprinted her teeth IN his duSky
skin Losing his balance, Sam tumbled INTO
the gutter with Leonore still on top. Alter
Il close investigation into the love affair OF the
couple Justice Talbot dismissed the case
And why didn't the SIN dismiss it and
exclude all mention of it from its columns?
OF what possible Importance could such an
lem be to the public? 1t reminded us OF
another item We once saw in the columns
Of the same journal, years ago, when 1t was
less in size and resources than it now Is
The item related to two mulatto girls who
danced in nude state upon Il back portlct
of house in Baltimore city. We men
ton this circumstances only to illustrate
the grossness of the local reports sometimes
made in the most respectable journals
This is an evil which needs reformation
The collation. and publication of such item
could well be dispensed with by every
newspaper in the country. Burglarles
robberies, murders, seductions, and all the
crimes of the calendar, constitute the RECORD
of the daily press. The public mind be
comes familiar with these things, and thu
effect is demoralizing. Obscene and infa
mons advertisements. is another crying
evil limited at by Mr.. Cook in the extract
we give in this article The extent of this
evil is appalling. Many newspapers whose
proprietors would beinsulted if told that
their publications were not respectable, ad
NIT such things to their columns without
a thought of their demoralizing tendencies
These obscene advertisements meet the eye
of children of both sexes, and Undue then
tender minds with their moral poison
Not only the secular, but strange to say
even the religious press, Is open to this
censure Parents and guardians cannot be
too watchful to keep such publications
from the hands of their children and wards
and society ought to demand a reformation
of this gross abuse The Indifference in
the public mind ON this subject is truly
remarkable Literature, well or ill con-
Quoted, says an observant writer, is the
great engine by which all popular govern
ment must ultimately be supported or over
thrown. 1t is also the engine by which
public morality is to be supported or over
thrown. Churches and Sabbath Schools
viii make but poor progress in evangefiz
ing the world, while moral poison is daily
infused into the public mind through the
medium of the press. Should not public
attention be awakened to realizing sense
of the importance of this subject?
The Baltimore city primary election fol
members of the Democratic city conven
Il 4 q