Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-02-09
FOR THE CRANK, OR FOR THE
PEOPLE, WHICH =?

Some weeks since the MONITOR in
brief local item said "the newspa-
per should be run for its readers,
not specially to crafty the caprices
of the editor" 1.-The ideal newspaper
is beautiful thing, but 1t never has
any patronage" whereupon our an
cient friend, A.A. Earle of the Land
mark, blazed forth in a long disserta-
ton in opposition to the idea adj
vanced in the MONITOR, and all the
fraternity of his cranky kind applaud
ed. This is not very great matter, but
since the sentiment had a special
meaning in the place where it stood,
and has been entirely misinterpreted,
we have word to say in answer:
In our observation in regard to news
pBpers we have seen few instances
where the editor exercised any mark
ed influence on public sentiment, eX-
cept close in line with it. That he
may be able slightly to turn the cur
rent of opinion is true, and that he
should undertake to keep ahead of
the best public sentiment in morals,
temperance, religion and politics we
are glad to declare but that he should
expect in this age, and in this light,
| to make sentiment conform to his
special "caprices, or to his own
cranky notions is all consummate
nonsense. In the first place there is
only here and there Horace Greeley,
any way, and where there is one he
knows enough to keep his paper in
the line of progress, reason and good
sense, so that he is only the reflex OF
the best opinions, at most. Ar
editor makes a paper, if it is infiu-
entail among his readers, that is OF
them, by them, for them. Not il
any sense mental, servile, or inferior
but clean, respectable; and while
somewhat in advance of the average
reader in intelligence, progress ant
morals, not SO far ahead as to be i'm
practicable and without influence. /
is necessary to conform somewhat t
the elements in which one is situated
''to become all things 10 all men, il
that sense of being able thereby t
do the most good. The countr,
newspaper is made for realms terres
tial, not celestial, and whoever soar
above this world in his aerial, idea
flights, has gone where he is lone
some and powerless to do good.
The influence of that class of pa
pers which are run by cyclists
specialists, saints and cranks 9TH
last word seems to express the exaC
meaning) was pretty we'll shown
) last political campaign. A lare
: number of papers, for one cause an
1 another, struck out on an ''indepel
D dent" line. The presidential cand
: dates were not such as they desires
They turned their guns and their el
e 9inery against the party they hf
e formerly supported; the longer thu
:. fought, the more enraged they gre1
|. and whatever of argument or calu,
l. ny they could use, was used to defe
ct the candidates they opposed, al
& to establish the fact, if possibl
l. that theil apostacy was sensil
G. and just. What was the result? I
ne most conspicuous example, perhal
G. was that of Harper's Weekly, |
per with an immense circulation, a
an influence second to none. /
editor, distinguished writer, a p
IT. islled orator and a skillful politi
", manager. From a most ardent
on publican paper it became a power
", opponent of Blaine and strong S
lly porter of Cleveland. Not Gu
i'm alone, but that chief of caricaturi:
his Mast, went over to the democr;
Ell. side and all that caricature could
m was done by the Weekly to
ing feat republicans. The -Neac 7
ak Times, very influential republi
Ign paper went over to the enemy,
ite- all that an able and unscrupul
,iz- corps of editors could do was d
The to defeat Blaine. The Eceniug ]
yer might be mentioned, with Schurz
Q it its head. while there were sms
'ssa organs, here and there, venting
and spleen against the republican NJ