The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-19
LLAS HEEALD SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 10,

uChl strength on any question tnan hnth
Oxford and Cambridge combined. One
issue OF great New York daily land We
could go further in specification will prob
ably influence more action, suggest more
thought and impress more lastingly the
men OF this generation than any one book
oy living American author.
The newspaper in free country is a sine
qua non it is business and houst hol
necessity. As minute record OF daily
events it is intellectually valuable, rendering
the history of the present clear and thor.
ougn TO all after ages, abridging the labor
OF the historian, furnishing photographs for
the future archaologist, and providing cor
rect and abundant material for the stats.
tician and economist. But it is to the pres
ent character and influence of the news
papers that would especially advert. Men
who never open book except by accident,
hsbitually read the newspaper. This is
larger class than one would at first imagine.
Perhaps it embraces the majority of our
commercial and agricultural population.
They have no special literary aptitude, and
the newspaper supplies them with all they
need in that particular. The commercial
man of every kind consuts ii to obtain the
current Information that he needs in his
business. 1t constitutes the cheapest, safest
aud most expeditions way ofk, eping himself
posted" as to the market and the general
features of trade. Besides the newspaper
forms the chief relaxation of this much
engrossed class OF our citizens. At the
close OF day OF hsrrassing labor to both
body and mind, they can scarcely be ex.
pected to engage with any relish, in logical
or heavy reading. In fact, the habit of
thought induced by a lie of active trade,
makes one impatient of metaphysics or alb
stract discussions or of any strictly scienti-
nc employment: but to such one, wearied
either by the monotonous drudgery of
figured calculations or by the active fret
of thousand details, the modern
journal, with its clean, sharp-cut ed
ltorials; its panorama of the passing world;
its practical handling Of practical subjects;
its brief plunges into the Lethe of romance
or social hcllon forms a soace and re-
source for which nothing else can be sub
stituted. The pictorial or illustrated press
has conduced much to this home and COM
Portable effect. On the tables of professions
al men, merchants, and generally of all in
possession of competence, will be found
lying by the side of the dailies such tri-
umphs of pictorial genius as the illustrated
London News, the Graphic, as well as the
really magnificent array of monthlies led
by the Century, Harpers and Appleton's.
Blot out these ephemeral but necessary
publications and commerce would be Grip
pied; deblr the domestic circle from the
ministrations of the periodical. press and
our homes would be darkened.
The sentiments and opinions of a really
able and consistent paper will be found to
impress themselves by degrees upon the
beliefs and lives of its readers, and within a
few years very serious results will be pro-
duced. A large section, perhaps whole
state or department of the entire coun-
try, may have been brought to adopt
the views of one trained and vigorous think
er, or at least have been unConsciouslv
moulded by the opinions OF great journal
polntedly and consistently presented. The
names of Richie, of Weed, of Greedy will
suggest the truth of the personal assertion;
and the history OF the Charleston Mercury,
of the Richmond Wing, and of the New
York Tribune will illustrate the more gen.
eral statement. The more thoughtful as
well as the most practical men differ as to
the proper status cf journal before the
public; some holding that it should be a
colorless tansmitter of news and opinion;
a medium OF communication and inteli-
gence, independently managed and dis
paying no Partially nor preference in poll
tics or religion. Others vehemently
Oppose; oppose, TINS philosophical and
IuuOthi SOuuuCb vi 1OtlTnal'
They hold that sides must be taken, that
judicial impartiality will degenerate into
trimming and what the Dorlc multitude
calls straddlng the fence; that party spirit
is the life of constitutional freedom; an ig-
noring OF this principle may result in the
building up OF special organs of great value
in the departments of commerce, literature.
news or any other phase of human inteli-
gence, but that it will never realize the
idea of that fourth estate which this dav
holds the balance of power under all free
constitutions. The advocates of party
journalism assert that the daily paper to
become controlling power, m ust be pol
itical, whatever else 1t may or may not be.
without decided opinion in governmental
matters, everything is aiioat, there is no
there, not from any inner impulse or even
direct power, but according to the
veering influences of counteractine
and contending forces. Those who
fly flag, know where they
are and what they are about. They never
lose their reckoning, having general sailing
orders, by which a good sailor ALWAYS
knows how to govern himself, with the
largest discretion, provided he does moi
come to grief.
1t is replied to this that Just now people
do not care so much for opinion as for
FACTS, for dogmatic principle as for a supply
otelectric news They nave no repugnance
to rational discussion of measures from
their intrlnsical worth and they prefer a
tentative and analytic Treatment of affairs
rather than an ethical and dogmatic STYLE
Aud so the tide of contention rolls on and
will continue to roll on so long as men diff
fer and agree to differ. Generally the rule
of partisan politics is unavoidable, though
IL should be allowed that at present the
mixed and indefinite relation of the news
paper TO the public renders certain species
of broad-churchism in journalism an easy
legitimate and convenient creed.
But, retort the men of opinions and posi-
tiveism, we are passing through trapsi
ton in our political life. Terrible change.
have already taken place; formidable ones
are now cracking beneath our daily feet
but 1t cannot be doubted that new order
of things will sooner or later be arrived at
and the generic law of the representiye,
constitutional government must resume
its imperious authority. There will exist
the administration and the opposition
nothing more. The wheel of liberty will
BEAUTIFULLY revolve, and the Tins" and the
"outs" carry on the earnest but necessary
strife until the wheel shall cease to reyolye
and men, too indolent to differ practically
shall lie at the mercy of Force, the assignee
of the political bankrupt. The illustra-
tions OF these two great schools of Journal
ism are so numerous that they crowd upon
us. The independent management of the
newspaper seems to be gaining ground and
as to its business principles, may be re
garded as the favorte, successful and most
established method. In America the rage
for organs has been sensibly az
peased. Notwithstanding the most loya
attachment to party and party
methods the proprietors OF papers
especially ii they be important ones, gener
ally prefer to retain their independence a
to the special management of their ow,
property in spite of King Caucus or tn
LORDS of Convention" This is esteeme,
entirely consistent with loyalty to part,
principles. OF course there survive, an,
also exist in yirnrnus life snecin,nns Of IL