The Wilmingtonian., 1886-08-21
Editorial Courtesies.

Journal Of Commerce discusses a feature Of
journalism that needs just such well tenn
pered rebukc, as follows
"The metropolitan press is inst now set
ting poor example of iecency to its con-
temporaries in other parts of the country.
Whether it is owing to the warm weather or
these papers on their summer vacation and
the surrender of the editorial columns to
that tabled imp, the Printers Devil, we
cannot say but certainly we have not for
long time past seen such foul specimens Of
personal vituperation as now appear daily in
many If not most, of the leading city papers.
1t does not help the matter any that
large part of this personal abuse is aimed by
those journals at the chief editors or propre-
tors of rival publications. This may give
piquancy to the scandal, but it is none the
less discredtable to the author, and renders
him liable to the suspicion that jealousy, and
not zeal for truth, has stimulated his bit
ter attacks on his competitors for public
favor. Whatever the motive may be the
effect on the public mind must be injurious
Thousands of readers are compelled to see
the offensive language and cannot lay the
paper aside wholly unaffected by this dis
play of bad temper.
Those papers whose columns are clean in
this respect have the right to protest against
it, for it tends to drag all who write for the
public, in the estimation of the iidscrimi-
mating, down to the low level thus occupied
by the majority, If one paper is controlled
by "Thief Fagin, Others by "bilk," a
"social parasite, " Journalistic prostitute
'political and financial bankrupt" "hu-
inflated dead beat, )" Subsidized tool"
''liar," a "vllain, a''malicous scouudrcl,"
"fool, pauper immigrant" 'rousta-
bout" renegade, 'megalomaniac,
swelled head" (all of which we gather from
editorial statements describing the heads OF
these several journals), who that is unac-
quainted in the city and sees such descrip.
tions of some at least, il not majority, of
its prominent writer's and publishers will not
come TO the conclusion that city editors in
general are a sculvy set and wholly nm
worthy of public respect or confidence?
And this Judgment will be given quite as
freely concerning the writer of such dis
gusting language as against the victim of
the denuuciatons. The man who rails at
another is always set down by neutral spec
tator as the worse of the two. The hand
that shrows mud at one it would blacken Of
necessity fouls itself first aud is Justly rated
as unclean as the object of its assault.
Thoughtless spectators sometimes ap-
plaud when foul-mouthed orators berate
each other with billingsgate, bat all sober
minded people are dsgusted, and the net
result in the general judgment must always
be damaging to both of the contestants.
We therefore beg our rate contemporaries
to refrain from this woldy warfare with each
other, and give the public rest from this
dlsgracefal exhibition. If either of them
thinks that the editor of the other sheet is
unfair, or untruthful, let him expose the
lallacy or the disingenuousness, if he will,
without calling his neighbor a thief, or a
low. bred fellow, or disreputable knaye
mean enough to steal the cents from dead
baby's eye. These slauderols epithets do
not help the argument, and they are far
more likely to suggest to the reader that the
author of the TRADE has been wounded
through some point Of rottenness in the
cloak he wraps in such assumed virtue about
himself.
1t sometimes happens that one who has an
unblemished character is goaded by the ma
lice of an enemy to retort in kind. 1t is a
grand mistake to be repented Of in dust and
ashes. 1t exposes the man OF stainless
name to the charge of being little better
than the villain with whom he handles these
abusive epthets. 1t does not hurt the rogue
at whom they are hurled, but it bisters and
palsies for good the lips from whence they
come. No good man eau afford u share in
such an encounter, and no wise one will give
his enemy such an advantage over him. OF
all accounts, therefore, let us have a speedy
thorough, and lasting reform, which shal
Danish this stock in trade Of the bully an,
the blackguard forever from the columns .
reputable iourn Is.
John ii. Adams.
Tic demise of John Hyndman Adams
among the obituary record of Tuesday last
lie died at his home 1909 Delaware Ave