Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-03

| unprontaple state OF the public mind.
Capital, to which they appeal, is found to
be growing more and more timid, and in
seeking for cause for these things they
naturally turn upon the vehicle that
carts all the elements Of distrust
to the breakfast tables of the
country. But, as our contemporary
holds, they fail to realize their own re-
sponsibility for this state of affairs. Upon
the profits of business patronage only can
the sensational press continue in its course.
| Business interests have only to demand a
better tone and cleaner sheets, and they
will be accorded, for the most sensational
and frothy of all journals cannot live a
single week without Endorsement, in the
way of patronage and the prompt payment
of bills, by the business public. The con-
fusion of moral and social values, on which
the lamented Holland so often dwelt in
deerying this growing evil, will cease
precisely when the business men of the
country demand it. If they are complain
ing now-and heaven knows they have
cause-it is an indication that they intend
to apply the remedy If it were possible
to imagine stranger coming to us from a
point outside of our sphere, and taking up a
given number of the daily publications Of
the class to which reference is made, we
would have no difficulty in estimating the
judgment he would form of the state of So
ciety on this ball, or in fancying the aston
ishment he would express. He would GER
tainly conclude that the things of greatest
Importance in this world are crime fop-
perry, scandal, illicit relations, want Of vir-
tue, distruSt, and improbable amusements.
He would search only with difficulty in the
sensational press-and that includes an
exceedingly large number of prominent
papers-for evidences of scientific pro-
gress, intellectual activity, business adj
vancement and social culture, public edu-
cation, material development and growth
of morality. But he could not go amiss on
any page Of these sheets Of criminal
records, social Generalization, Sunday
Dissertation or vulgar politics; the ex-
pressions of loud-mouthed demagogues
or the frothing of sandlot agi-
tators and new-fedged reformers
of the whole scheme of civilization, to-
F.! gether with details of the antics Of
those who would revolutionize the
whole business policy of the land.
The public mind is, in fact, be-
coming dangerously familiarized with the
vulgar and low; the youth of the day are
cultured in the reading taste for the fiimis-
est of stuff, and scarcely invited to the con-
sideration of those things that are SO
vital to their well-being. What there is
of it, is like an oasis in desert of slush,
difficult to find and far between. The con
slant plant of the publishers, as also OF
the dramatic managers is, that they must
carter to the public taste, and that it de-
mands precisely this kind of unwholesome
pabulum, and as regularly, and as nicely
dished up as the morning breakfast
cereal, or the toast and coffee of patcr-
familias But this same press claims to be
factor in the formation Of the public
taste, an exponent of public opinion, and
an educator of the people. If so, it has a
duty that rises superior to that of the
caterer 1t should do something more
than is being done at this time to cult
vate better TASTE and to subordinate the
vulgar demand to that which is better for
| the public stomach. There is an insuffer-
able lot of twaddle and false doctrine
preached about this demand of the public.
We do not believe that society has reached
that stage when it insists upon its dish OF
nastiness at every meal, or an exposition
of social shame, political chicane, and per-
sonal folly and vanity on every occasion.
The world is great deal better than the
sensational press assumes it to be. The
business elements, the rulers in the homes,
the decency and virtue of the country,
may rightfully protest at this reverend
ing thrusting under the gaze of all the
people of the daily rot that fills so many
pages of SO many over-paged journals.
Things cannot always go on as now in this
| matter. There will be newspaper
reform one of these days, and decency and
propriety, regard for moral values, and the
cultivation of taste for things virtuous,
decent and Clearly, will take the place of
the immeasurable quantity of nastiness
and Indifferent matter, that at this time
distinguishes and besmears the columns of
so many of the press, and especially of so
large a number of sheets that emanate
from the great cities of the East.