The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-22

been mistaken; or, more boldly, he may
allege that appea RANGES fairly Justify
the inference drawn. In any case, he
can always have the last word. And,
in the end, individuals find it more
prudent to sit down quietly, even under
the grossest injury, than to attempt to
secure justice in case where the op-
posing counsel is at the same time Jury
and judge and executioner There is
enc development of journalism concern
ing which the people are not over
thoughtful, and into which the news
papers themselves should put little
more conscience and care. The great
body of correspondents at the national
capital have come to WELD almost des-
potic power. Each day they hold in
their hands the distribution of political
news for the whole country. The in
terests of the country demand that
work like this be done in spirit of
judicial fairness, especially when deal
ing with the 'other party There
should be also a sense of proportion, a
comprehension of the relative impor-
lance of news. But too often the cor
respondents of the Palladium are not so
anxious to furnish fair and balanced
account of what has really taken place
as they are to make a point against
the administration, or in favor of 'our
paper And not infrequently it comes
to pass that news-gatherer takes rank,
not according to the accuracy of his re-
ports, or because of sending home such
news as is most important, or that the
government wishes to have known, but
is rated high if he gets something for
his paper that none of the others get,
or if he can be two hours ahead of any
other paper. And he is sometimes re-
garded as particularly smart if he can
scent out some government secret, and
publish it before the authorities want it
known. No matter what the effect of this
may be; it is at least enterprising,' and
if it turns out not to be true, no matter.
The issue that cOntradicts and explains
affairs will sell as many copies as that
containing the original statement So,
whatever else happens, papers are sold
and the circulation increased. And as
paper is great by as much as it sells,
the grand end of journalism is accom-
plished. Owing to this unique power,
and to the fact that all news from the
capital must 90 through them, it nat
urally follows that the correspondents
can practically make or unmake anv
public mans reputation. A man can
be returned by his constituents only on
the strength of his reputation. And as
these makers of reputation are some
what lofty in their estimation of them
selves, and naturally work for consid-
Grafton, of course most public men-all
but the very strongest-will be their
very humble servants. The one that is
polite and deferential to them, the one
that flatters their power, the one that
uses his position to help them in get
ting the latest news, lawful or unlaw-
full, he will be their favorite. In all
their reports he and his family will be
handsome, he will be eloquent, he will
be wise. While if anybody pursues an
independent course, or if, for any
reason, they do not like him, they can
either bury him under a fatal silence,
or write him down. 1t is not strange,
then, if the newspaper correspondent
comes to regard himself as a bigger
man than almost anybody else"