Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-06-24
JOURNALISTIC PHARIsEElssI.

For a Journal whose motto is "HOher
Than Thou and which has so often posed
before the public as the only paper fit to
be laid upon the breakfast table containing
no matter but what might be read by the
most innocent member Of the family with
out revulsion, the Intelligencer of yesterday
contained some very peculiar, as we'll as
unique, literature. There are Pharisees in
Journalism as well as in other walks Of life.
The PhariSee of today like the typical
PhArisee of the temple, is hyPocrite. He
can always strain at gnst, but with won
derful facility swallow camel The Phar-
iSSical hero Of the New Testament is de-
scribed as q man who stood upon tie
house top and with eyes rolled heavenward
and hands clasped in feigned sanctity
thanks God that he is holier than other
men, while according to a fair inference
from the fguratiye language of the Master
he was tattOOed all over With the stains Of
moral dePrayity
Phariseeism in journalism bears many
characteristic traits of its brother in indi-
vidual life. There is the same disposition
to gather up the skirts of its garment lest
they be contaminated by the touch of some
miserable sinner of newspaper whose
moral nature is tainted with sensational
disposition. 1t affects a holy horror that
when crime has been committed its gross
details should be displayed to the public.
With hyPOeritical cant it seeks to hide its
own lack of enterprise BY PrOfessed desire
to avoid senSationahSm. When some more
enterprising rival journal scoops it in
news, with affected sanctity it declaims
against Indecent journalism But at the
same time when a chance is seen to turn a
few extra pennies, no matter how absurd
and unealled for the publication of the SEN
sation, it is loaded up while with closed
eyes the journal fires it of double barreled.
That is what we call Pharisa cal journalism
1t is to be regretted that public taste is so
vitisted as to demand so much sensational
matter at the hands Of the public press. 1t
makes it . very difficult matter for news
paper to decide between how far public
taste in this direction shall be gratiGed and
at the same time preserve the limits Of re-
spectacle journalism. The incest care and
Judgment is requisite to the management Of
a newspaper in this particular There are
cases, ,likethe Dukes tragedy for illustration,
where all the details, including improper
correspondence, is required to be published
in order that the public may understand its
history. The correspondence in the Dukes
case was relevant to history Of the
deed. There are other cases Of scandal
like the SHEIB-HAYNAN assault case for IL
lussyanon, where the previous details and
alleged correspondence were not relevant to
a history of the case and consequently did
not legitimately become public property.
The REGIsTEK was given access to the
whole correspondence on Saturday night
and coIld have ased it in the Sunday cdr
,tion. While it would probably have Ia
creased the sales of the paper for, day
that would have been poor compensation
for the modification and heart Pangs to IN
poceut parties, who had no agency In
bringing about the scandal, that would have
been produced, BY their publication. We
deemed il our duty as an enterPrising news
journal to present such facts as the Puohe
= was legitiu,ately entitled TO hear, and sup
messed all thar could only have gratlbed
nrrrien. tas:e for vicious literature. We
didn't 6uJ euoagh sentiment in the scandal
10 attach Is as a partizsn to either candi-
date for public notOriety. As an admires
of genius W cannot refrain, however, from
conceding the wonderful taste and talent
IN Sensational literature developed by our
contemporary, and if yesterdays edition Is
a fair sample of the success in that hne we
would kindly suggest that with the addition
Of few flaming wood cuts it has before 1t
proRtable career as police gazette. In
,be meantime the REGIsrER will continue
- furnish the latest news in the sPrighthest
s,vle and with gentility that will please
the most delicate literary taste.