The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-12-08
Sensational journalism.


excuse on the part of newspaper people
to claim that the exposition and depic
ton of vice have the salutary effect of a
warning to evil-doer and others, by pic.
turing to them the terrible retribution OF
sin and crime. This is piece OF sophis
try as villanous as it is false. In the
first place, the immediate and direct Oh
Ject OF a newspaper In publishing matters
of this character is to sell and to effect
this purpose its matter must be spicily
seasoned-a quality which at once irus-
trates any intent in the shape of a moral
lesson. What is more, as an evidence OF
the intent, the manner of the exposition
invariably attracts and never repels. In
the second place, in whatsoever way the
matter may be put, the effect cannot be
salutary. No vicious picture can be
moral; and the result of this constant
mirroring of vice to the public mind is
so to habituate and familiarlzesit with
crime and sin that the horror and repug-
nance to which they at first naturally
give rise degenerate into an endurance,
then pity, and at last, by insensble de-
grees, into that diseased condition of the
imagination which does not hesitate to
embrace the monster. We hear so much
OF murder, rape, incest, burglary, and
the entire catalogue of human atrocities,
that we begin to regard them as matters
of course. This is the first downward
step In the moral grade. How many OF
the very crlmcs we constantly read about
have their lnsensible and indirect source
IN that familiar acquaintance with vice
through the newspaper Juvenai called
Rome In his day the cesspool of the ma
tlons: what may we not call our news
papers? There is a moral as we'll as
physical malaria. The atmosphere i'm
pregnated with It's deadly germs breeds,
In the one case as in the other, disease
and death; and wheu the impurity has
universally spread itself, unhealthy in
deed will be the life of the nation upon
which it battens. 1t might be argued in
rextenuation OF this abuse of newspapers
that In these matters they but respond
to a public demand: the public taste
Graves vicious sensationalism and sup
ports 1T. There Is but one answer to
this, and that is best given by way of an
analogy. A certain species of creature
%who has so forfeited the dignity of his
nature as not to merit its name) ekes out
a miserable existence as an agent for
brothels is his method of livelihood to
be tolerated because it caters to vicious
public taste.
But the worst is not yet. Not content
with using the filth at hand, the news
paper, In It's eager search for the sensa.
tlonal, scruples not to invade the sacred
privacy of the family and squat in re-
pulsive familiarity on the hearthstone.
Let but the vaguest rumor of domestic
intehcltY echo in the ear of the press, and
at once It's boodhounds are unleashed on
the scent. The fugitve,slave of by.gone
times was never more persistently or
bloodthirstily hunted than Is the free,
independent citizen of oday. This
tyranny Is fast growing intolerable, It's
chains heavier, and its exactions more
cruel. If you seek to fly from its haras-
elng persecution. aud in righteous lndig-
nation slam your door in the face of the
intruder, you only escape from Scylla to
be hopelessly dashed upon Chary bdis. II
you refuse to reveal TO the gaze of the
public monster the skeleton In your closet
behold a fictitious anatomy Is substi.
tuted In It's stead. What redress have
you A suit for libel? That only makes
matters worse by the publication OF
everything sacred to your privacy, con.
Joined with detestable notoriety and
the expense of a. wearisome litigation
with soulless, conscienceless corpora.
ton. This last consideration is not the
least. The impersonality of the news
paper is a power to daunt the bravest
for behind that cowardly bulwark can
Turk SANDER, malice, and moral murder
showerlng their poisoned shafts upon the
defenceless victim, who has no possible
way of reaching his sheltered foe save by
the employment of those means which a
love OF peace, honor, and deceucy cannot
stoop to use. Like the crushing fury oil
the avalanche, or the cruel, thirsty wa.
ters OF slowly.rising inundation engulf
ing all things, does this fatal, unfeelinp
tide of impersonality overwhelm the in.
dividual. How helpless he stands in its
terrible presence There Is no love in
its breast to waken, no feeling of pity to
shower down the dews of mercy, no con
science to arouse by an appeal to justice
but, like the movable walls OF Vivenzio' q
iron cell, slowly, steadily, surely, mex
oraby, the implacable metal closes in
and brushes the quivering wretch dying
with a smothered shrek on his lips
Through the newspaper no man 8 private
life is sacred, and least of all that OF q
public man. The press unlocks mis- door