The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-03
influence of the Press.

or a continuance Of the case on the
round Of popular excitement and preju-
lice created, as was alleged, in a great
MEASURE, by newspaper articles condemn
ng the crime with which the defendants
we're charged and demanding swift and
severe punishment Extracts from the
columns Of the several newspapers pub
ished in New Orleans were submitted
as evidence, in part, to sustain the APP
pHcation for continuance, which hav-
ing been refused, on appeal TO the Su-
pIeme Court the action Of the lower
court, as TO this matter, was urged a. one
of the reasons why a new trial should be /
granted. Speaking in reference to the /
point and referring to these newspaper .
articles Mr. Justice PocHE, as the organ
Of the court, said
They are OF the usual temper when the
press deals with a crime enormous in char
acter and shocking in it, effects on society.
Some OF the articles venture on an anlysis
OF the testimony given on the first trial.
defendants. While we do not propose to
approve Of the disposition Of certain news
paper writers to attempt 10 formulate pub
lie opinion on the merits OF litigation
! pending on trial before the courts Of the
country, in matters on trial before this
! tribunal, we believe that the public under
stands, as we do, that the views they pub
| lished are, after all, but the opinions OF
| one man, and that in many cases they
| carry no more weight than the utterances
OF other individuals expressed in private
in their social circles.
TO which the .States, one Of the news
papers referred to, makes the following
response:
The expression OF such an opinion is an
evidence Of deplorable ignorance of the
power and dignity Of the press, OF it,
mission, its responsibility and it's duty
To say that the opinions expressed by a
newspaper " hich is read by thousands O
people and is regarded az the exponent d
public sentiment, 'are but the opinionss ,
one man, and carry no more weigss
than the utterances Oh other individual
| expressed IN private in their social cir
, cles," Is so puerile and So remarkable al
characterization OF the influence OF news
papers, upon every public question. tina
we re surprised the Supreme Court shout,
have 50 committed itself to such a grea
and egregious an error. Every well con
Quoted newspaper has an Individual head
who shapes its policy as public institu
J ton, Invested Of all personality and speak
b ing only pro bono pubtico 1t is so accepte
r and regarded by the public who read tn
paper and form opinions, not from tn
= views expressed a. those Of the editor 4
e persona, but As the sentiment OF the pape
O IN Its capacity as public journal, wit
responsible duties and serious obligation
u to the community in which it is published
10 say, then that the uuerances Of a
editor, through the columns OF his pape
l. carry no more weight than those OF otht
individuals expressed in private in the
70 social circles, is so absurd propositio
r that we are amazed al It's finding the COZ
D. currence OF all the judges OF he court.
< We entirely agree with our contemp
lie rary that the e5timate which the s.
d preme Court of Louisiana places on Il
influence of the Press is a remarkab
differentiation, but it does not folio
eS from this that the opinion of the cou
IS is an evidence Of deplorable ignoran,
a of the dignity of the Press, of its mi
n. sion, its responsibility, and its his
Of duty The influence of a newspap
e. is not destroyed, so long as it has circ
81 lation, by lack of dignity or a failu
I'd to appreciate the true mission Of new
paper; and while Mr.. Justice POCHE
badly mistaken when he believes tn
Of the views expressed in newspapers car
lg no more weight than the utterances
or individuals, he may yet have the me
X exalted opinion of the mission of t
al Press. 1t is possible thct he thinks tn
n. the mission of the Press is not full
i'll appreciated by the conductors of new
rs. papers and, therefore, that the newsT
wv pers should not have influence. b
lj. what is and what ought to be are SON
times very wide apart.
What newspaper should be is VI
y told by the States in the foIlowi
on language: every well conducted new
on paper has an individual head, W
h, shapes its policy as a public institute
ar Invested of all personality and speak,
~ only pro bono publico." In fewer wor
ir- more could not be said. 1t is the vie
ar of such a newspaper which are not
zee garded by the public ''as those of I
he editor in persona, but as the sentime
xt of the paper in its capacity as a pub
journal with responsible duties a
serious obligations to the commun
in which it is published"
is There can be no doubt that the int
rs ence of a newspaper is largely impair
on by the knowledge possessed by the pl
10 tic, that the views and opinions
in pressed are simply those entertained
raj the editor, who, as rule, is not /
nix superior in judgment or scholarship
i many of the persons into whose har
ea his paper may fall. The reader of
i average newspaper is reminded in eve
N. issue and in a thousand ways of I
bv existence of the editor 6 proprio ?
o. soma. This would not be the case
~ there were any virtue in the use of t
40 pronoun 1--WE" for every editor speaks
- the first person, plural. But the use
~ this pronoun is robbed of its signifcar
nd and is altogether inappropriate, WI
&c the individual and not the paper spea
- We recollect some curious examp
"a, of confusion growing out of the use
~ the plural 1--WE, " instead of the singu
81 Il" Some time ago an editor in I
as Eastern part of the State intended
~ say, Il have been on visit to Texs
nd instead of doing which he said, ~
sct have been on visit to Texas" That
at to say, the paper of which he was edi'
ms had been ON visit. We believe, t
is that the paper claimed to have relatii
he in Texas. The editor of another paI
*. met an old college chum, and instead
,ur saying so in plain, every day speech a
,af signing his name to it, he could
ne resist the temptation to say, eve h
ise the pleasure few days since Of meet
an Mr.. Smith, an old college chum,' viii
we was equivalent to saying that his PAP
en was, at some time in the past, c
EN- legian. Instances of newspapers bel
he invitedsso dinners and suppers are l
ed infrequent, ard they generally go a
ITS enjoy the good things from their o.
m accounts, and yet no one ever sees
newspaper at a dinner. They {
ial known, too, to perform wonderful fea
L.