Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-05
THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS.

Said Il prominent Democrat to the
writer yesterday: T believe the influence
OF the press is declining, for we often see
the press one way in a campaign, and the
people another way. What is the reason
for this?" There is much truth in this,
fluence OF the press are various and
many. In an editorial which appeared
in the Oakland, CAL, Times of Tuesday
last are given some OF these reasons.
These reasons apply more particularly to
the partisan press, but the public do not
distinguish between partisan press and
an Independent press, nor do the public
distinguish between the good and bad of
the partisan press. We prefer to give the
reasons OF the Times in its own language
to any condensation or alteration, and we
give it entire
The Alta, of the 1st instant, quotes from
a letter addressed to that paper by lady,
in which she condemns "the low tone of
| society" in California, and rakes the press
of the city of San Francisco over the GOALS
for publishing editorials on prize fights and
theatres. She charges. further, that they
'scoff at religion, and compare the Sabbath
to a wrestling match" The able editor of
the Alta quite agrees with her, and writes
n lengthy editorial on the subject, in which
he says: 1--WE despair of the press growing
better, for men are now what they have
| always been from the time the race issued
into self-consciousness and saw that ii
stood upright" We confess to some as
tonishment on reading such sentiment,
expressed by one who has thought
very much on men and things, and we fear
that the air of his surroundings has rendered
obscures the moral vision of the San Fran
cisco editor. and leaves him without its
benign influence while he writes for tho
good of his readers. We will suggest, how
ever, that the chief cause of the aclnowl-
edged immoral tone of the San Francisco
press, as confessed by the editor of the Alta,
is traceable more to its partisan bias and
predictions than to any other. No thought
full man, be he editor or layman, can deny
that the party press of this country panders
that it is compelled to do so, in order to
control the votes of the vile elements in So
ciety. Were there a few great leading po-
itical party papers, conducted by men
whose bread shall not depend on the caprices
of the 'diye," and the ''den," but rather on
and were the discussion Of political topics
left mainly in their hands, 1t is believed
great moral transformation would take
place IN our country. In such case
the press of San Francisco and of other
great cities into which have foated
the scum and dregs of the world, would,
being free and independent, be thereby ena-
b!ed to condemn vices, whether in low or
high places, and make itself the terror of
evil doers. The Times has gone out of the
business of supporting shoulder hitters and
ward bummers for guardians of the public
interest, and will try to do something for the
general good, in which purpose we hope
others may join.
This refers more particularly to the
moral tone of the press; but without high
moral tone, what beneficial influence can
the press hope to WELD? Party fealty
too often degenerates into party slavery,
and slaves can never hope to guide a
country to a glorious destiny.
Another cause for the decline in the
influence of the press is the absence OF
an independent opinion, or if it exists,
the courage to express it. Personal mo-
tiyes are almost as potent with the press
as party motives. The partisan press
fears to denounce party shortcoming OF
n party wrong, lest such denunciation
shall be used as weapon against it by
an opposing political party. The partisan
press is very apt to become extreme,
while to preserve and gain influence it
must be more or less, conservative for,
say what we will, after all, the people Of
this world are conservative rather than
radical, and opposing parties are not SO
bad as each says the other is. The press
should be guide and censor, and not a
follower and slave.