The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1886-11-25
VN.-t ?
TEE MISSION, OF THE PRESS.
- ;.s + ...,, y,
HenrN w attsrson' ~idealsoe. newspaper

Henry w atterson s~idealtot. newspaper
is that "it should, to begin with, be his
tory, and q complete history, Of YESTERDAY,
neatly. and justly told,"': and that "it
should, to,,end With, bea chrenicle Of tho
life aud thought and, as fartas may be, =
reflection Of the temper and tone: of the Reo:
plo, done with absolute fidelity" At ,tha
bottom Of this scheme he places a. the
foundation three cardinal principles -4:dis;
interestedness, cleanliness, capacity" i: )
j. This ideal is a:.worthy one, as. for as it
goes. but it does: not 60 far enough; The
time has. 70 ne in the history Of this conn-
try, and in;the growth Of the press in power
end opportunity, when;a great paper can
DO more, and must!do none if it is to iaccupy
The place open toit, than; to give History
Of. YEsrERDAY" Or even a picture Of TO bar,
and to make honest and able comment upon
it.. Thesetthough esseptialsef Of the new JOUR
halism, are'not alr Of it. That is a sheft-
range Yiew and narrow ambition which
take in only the Affairs Of yesterday and
to-day The newspaper that is true to its
highest mission will concern itself with tho
thing that ought to happen tomorrow, or
next month, or next year, and will seek to
make what ought to come tv pass. 1t is not
enough to. chronicle the life and thought of
the people and toreaect their tone'and tenn
per. This is most 'impjrtant service. But
. paper which has the moral sense, tho
intel ectual perception and theapoliticaa
independence to'.speak to the he art, the
mind and the conscience of the people and
tell them what they will feel that it is for
their good to hear and to heed, can do more
10 benefit the country than can a hundred
pulpits or score of Governors-more than
Any one session of Congress-, or any four.
year President, Or any party. >-'i'
The highest mission Of the press is to rem
der pub ic service: 1t does this by pub
lishining the news and by speaking the
truth fearlessly in nregard to current events.
Think what odr Government would be, from
the Aldsrmanic Council 10 the Congress Of
the nation, ii tho wholesome check
imposed BY watchful Prose wore removed
How much less SECURE would be the rule
Of law and order and the rights and privil-
eges Of the people but for this conservative
Influence! And yet,' in looking 1t what re-
mains to be done to secure to the country
the legitimate fruits Of its instutions, it is
plain that the opportunity and duty Of the
press were never grester than now:
There are dangers to confront, evils to
combat, inequalities to correct and abuses
to cure which did not exist in this country
few years ago. Just in PROPORTION as otr
country has increased in wealth and pop.
ulation, as liberty has expanded here ana ss
the immense superiority Of our Govern.
ment has been demonstrated to all the
world--just III that proportion have The
opportunity and the duty Of the press been
enlarged. To'keep in the van Of civiliza.
zion it must advance rapidly. An aristoc.
racy Of mere wealth, the growing tyranny
Of corporations, an ominous unrest among
the working people, corruptions in politic.
and incapacity in government complicats
the problems before thc nation. In helping
to solve these rightly the press may make
itself 2 power for promoting the public
good which shall be greater than that O
any other single iniuehea;in the land: Tt
feAd in this work is the ambition Thu
whrld: 1t seeks the highest possible cir
cYlation. but, more than that, it seeks th'
highest attainsble point in character, edu
catixe force and actual public servic,
rehdfred'-N. Y. woRIp.