The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-03-13

SanOerDllt Oh newspapers
Mr.. w. H. Vanderbilt, the American
Crnsus, has again brought himself be-
fore the public through the vehicle Of
an interview" The last time he made
himself conspicuous in this way he ex-
claimed: "The public be d-d!" This
time his refrain is: "The newspapers
be d-dv One expression is simply
a variation Of the other: the sentiment
is much the same in both cases. News
papers, as rule, reflect public opinion:
otherwise they could not attain the sue
cess and the influence they enjoy rs a
class. When men make Q habit of be-
rating newspapers it is safe to assume
that they are at variance with public
opinion, because they are doing some
thing that will not stand criticism. In
Vanderbilts case there is no doubt
about it. He was found seated by a
pile of newspapers, and his first remark
was: .Tm ashamed to say they're here;
ashamed to let my friends know read
them." But he was not ashamed to
admit the moral cowardice which
prompts him to keep posted on what
the newspapers are saying while pro-
Tossing the utmost contempt for their
opinions, utterances, and motives. He
was frank enough to add, however, that
Its no use for prominent men to say
they don't care d--n for newspapers,
because they do" That is a very COM
prebensiye and candid statement of the
case.
The men who affect to despise the
newspapers are more concerned than
anybody else about what the news
papers say of them. The newspapers
cannot suppress greed, nor stamp out
monopoly, nor make vicious men virtu-
GUS, nor correct all the abuses of public
life, but they accomplish more in these
directions than any other exponent Of
public opinion, and hence they are dis
liked, especially by the people with
whose selfish plans they interfere.
No man Ger felt the halter draw
With good opinion OF the law.
Mr.. Vanderbilt does not stand alone
in his enmity to the press. 1t is no ex-
aggei alton to say that most men who
have accumulated wealth, out of all
proportion to the individual energy and
merit of their careers, by tricky and
overreaching methods, are hostile to the
newspapers because the newspapers
expose their schemes and show the
people how they are plundered. When
this class of men cry out that news
papers have no right to interfere with
what they call their private affairs,
they might as well declare that public
opinion ought to be stifed; that is just
what they mean. They do not want to
he held accountable according to the
unwritten laws cf fair dealing. In
vestigation into their methods means
exposure OF their selfishness and ras-
cality. The newspapers bring these
overreaching robbers into contempt in
spite Of their wealth and pretense. All
the answer they can make is: @The
newspapers be -" But it yields
them poor satisfaction. It is cry of
pain and resentment which simply
shows how bad they have been hurt by
exposure.
Tho demagogue entertains the
same rancor toward the newspapers
that the monopolist cherishes. The
newspapers ar away the sham and
expose the barrenness Of his resources
and the baseness Of his motives. The
ward hummer is "down on the news
papers because they interfere with
Inn when he is packinga convention or
stufiing q ballot-box. The corrupt
Alderman is outraged when his sci enc
of blackmail is exposed. The derelict
official naturally resents the newspaper
vigilance which threatens him with
punishment. The politician who
reaches higher step in the ladder OF
publicity inveighs against the newspa-
pe.s If they fail to keep his name con-
spicuously and we'll pulled before tho
people, or If they refuse to advocate
every hobby which he rides. The shys-
ter lawyers denounce the newspapers
because the latter urge the reform and
simplificat on of statutes which will
limit and cheaper litigation. A certain
class OF preachers are in the habit OF
criticising newspapers because the lat
| ter are formidable disseminators OF the
broadest religious intelligence, and in
that way become rivals of the pulpit.
The etiquette of their profession may
| estop them from exclaiming, "The
| newspapers be -" but they are
| no doubt grateful to Vanderbilt for ex.
pressing their sentiments SO emphatic
ally.
1t is not to be denied that there are
publications called newspapers which
are disgrace to society, and deserve
all the censure which decent people
pass on them. 1t may also be admitted
that abuses and errors are frequent in
the newspaper world, as they are in al
professions and vocations. But when
ever any man INDUCES in o general IL
rade against newspapers he arrays him
self against public opinion, which is the
basis OF newspaper influence, and he
creates a suspicion that he is yulnera
BILE, and hence afraid Of exposure or at
tack. The motives at the bottom Of
such sweeping anathema against thu
press are spite, greed, envy, pretense
selfshness, and ignorance. Vanderbilt,
is an embodiment Of most Of these mo-
tiyes, and hence he is peculiarly vel
L - l. E., IL all - .,aA.,lx