The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-22
A PrOfane View of the Sanctum.

Rev. M. J. Savage, Boston clergy
man of distinction, with the above for
a heading, writes an interesting article
for the North american Rerie,C for Au-
gust. He says things that are Just and
true in praise of the newspapers and his
'profane views" are unquestionably
equally just and true. In racy way
the writer sketches the progress in the
means and methods for the dissemina-
ton of intelligence from the times of
the courier on horseback until at last
"the seas are turned into ferry-ways and
the continents into networks of rail
and wire. The earth has become one
vast whispering gallery" The news
papers have done much to develop a
practical sense of common brotherhood
They are helping Peace on earth,
goodwill to man. more than all the
Christmas sermons" They have Gre
ated I" an arena for free debate on all
debatable subjects in heaven and on
earth" They fill the office of public
conscience and detective. Never be-
fore were the nations so amenable to
the common conscience of mankind.
To-day there is no nation so mighty but
it fears to be brought before the bar of
public opinion. American opinion in
fluences the course of war in China, and
Russian diplomats must reckon with
the tone of the German press. Mr..
Savage disclaims any purpose in max
ing these ''grand concessions y ''to
Git" as Lowell says, "the goodwill of
the orjunce." He grieves, however,
that so grand possibility should be
married by such grave defects" BY
way of illustrating the worst methods
of newspaper management he makes an
example of the National Palladium,
one of a vast number of papers, each
of which has the largest circulation and
the largest everything in general in the
whole country. We cannot review the
whole line of the reverend writer's
criticisms. They are, in the main, fair
in their application to the class of news
papers he singles out, and they give
the impression that he has a tolerably
correct understanding of the secrets of
"profane " journalism, in its various
departments. We have room only for
the following extracts which are of more
general interest than the details of the
criticisms: MANY people appear to
have an extraordinary generation for
the printed alphabet, though they treat
the very same letters, spoken or written,
with supercilious contempt. For in
stance, John Smith, on the street, may
be held in no very high esteem. His
opinions are simply those of John
Smith, and every one feels at liberty to
disregard or contradict what he may
say by word of mouth or in private cor
respondence. But, besides being
general Bohemian about town, engaged
in all sorts of hap-hazard occupations
for living, he has the entree of several
newspaper sanctums, and now and then
appears anonymously in the editorial
columns. On these occasions, although
he utters the same trite or nonsensical
things that are disregarded on the
street, he becomes surrounded with the
superstitious halo that seems to envelop
the whole mystery of the printing-press.
He speaks out of the clouds; and people
read, ponder, and even think it worth
while to reply to him. Another sign of
infallibility is that no editor is ever
known, under any circumstances what
ever, to confess ignorance on any sub
ject, or to admit that he has ever been
in the wrong. To do so seems to be
regarded as a sort of infidelity to the
press. The people look to it for light
and guidance; and light and guidance
they shall have. Though any particu-
lar editorial writer has not mastered
any one field of research, still it is his
office, as an editor, to be equally at
home in all fields. And if some men,
Der of the opposition proves him to be
palpably and grossly ignorant, several
resources are always open to him. 1t
may be too hard work to study up the
subject; but he can always rely on the
partisan bias of most of his readers,
and also on their being as ignorant as
himself. So, if still stronger asser-
ton of his position is not enough, he
can always accuse his opponent of being
bribed to undermine the prosperity of
the laborng classes; or, perhaps, in
sinuate something concerning the moral
character of his grandfather. 1t not in
frequently happens that an editor
makes some false or injurious statement
about the personal character or bust
ness relations of citizen; but his in
fallibility will rarely allow him to apol-
ogize. He may possibly admit that
some new employe in the office has