Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-05-13


just as we advertise a shoemaker or
blacksmith, or place a mans goods
before the public. The press then
investigate the merits, the
and the ability of those
who ask to be placed in power.
II any are found who are not honest
Or not competent, let them be friend
Or foe, the fact should be published.
Then the responsibility will be with
The people.
When all are honest and compe-
tent 1t is the duty of a liberal press
to so state, and by no innuendoes or
siurs try to misrepresent n iniure
any Of the candidates for personal
reasons. A newspaper is run for
the people and not to crafty any
petit spite or jealousy its editor may
be nursing, and just as soon as he
himself to become derelict in
his duty on account of personalities
his paper is no longer worthy of the
support and maintenance of a confid-
ing public.
If q newspaper will always fear
tell the clean cut truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the
truth about everything, candidates
included, it will have done its duty
and will have a firm and lasting hold
on the hearts of the public.
Many people tell the truth about
everything else. Money could not
them to misrepresent any
of merchandise. No price
could be named to lead them to fos-
ter a fraud or a quack on the public
in any profession, but a few honeyed
words or a political threat or intrigue
will lead them into endorsing a man
they know is a seoundrel for any
Office in the gift of the people.
They would quickly show up a pick
Or a book agent and at the
same time try to cover up a candi-
date who wishes to attain a position
where wilfully or otherwise he will
defraud the public out of thousands
of dollars and bring his town, coun-
ty or state to disgrace or ruin.
If we desire to hire a laborer of
any kind for two or four years We
look into his record and exercise
great care in our selection. Surely
then we should be more careful in
selecting honest and capable law
makers and executives. Others with
more experience could handle this
subject much more satisfactorily be-
cause here in Audrain none but good
mel offer for office; at least you
would think sc by looking over the
files of the Mexico papers. You
would find that scores of men have
offered for office and all have been
worthy unless they belonged to some
other political party, which of course
does not count.
The question which you now ask
is hard to answer. Why the press
does not do its whole duty in this
regard is answered by the statement
that it would be suicidal. II twenty
men announce for Office and a local
paper states that nineteen of them are
unfit, (Which may be true) this nine
teen and their hundreds of friends,
who are too often influential, would
declare a boycott and the paper
would die of contraction of the wal
let. The remedy is with the public
to Il great extent. The public does
not support a newspaper in its line
of duty as it should. The public
smiles when it is tickled. The pub.
lie often wants its pet men and favor
lite measures pushed forward whether
right or wrong. What the public
wants the press is generally found
trying to furnish.
1t is not the purest nor the cleanes'
journal hat sells the hest, and virtue
though in metal, can not live OF
stones. The demand for news is q,
irresistible force, driving the news
paper to become the genuine repre-
sentative of the peoples grea
democratic institution which is Meth
er above the people nor below them
hut takes its complexion from tn
time and place. 1t is sensational
prosy, turbulent and conservative b,
turns. 1t rides upon the happening
of the day, and shifts and change
with the changes of the hour. ]
holds the mirror up to nature. an
reflects upon its helpless surface a
] the passions and the sins, the virtue
and the sacrifices of the world abou
it. The good and evil it alike give
back through nc volition.
Is there turmoil at East ST. Louis t.
day? There is turmoil among III
cases tonight. Arc there riots in Oh
cago tonight? The presses will wral
gle on tie morrow. Does the sur 81
upon a noble charity performed? ]
will rise upon that charity rebearse
about ten million breakfast table
: The rustic OF fine silks upon fine
carpets; the solemn tread of II
funeral train; the vulgar revelty {
the gambling den; the sweet mus
of the great singer; the murderer
curse and the orphans cry; the ba
: ties dread roll aud the hospital
message OF mercy; monopoly's grim
ing m~ilistones and the workingman
: plea for justice, are caught in Il
t phonophonic bosom of the types al
Isent again upon the morrow to fiji
, mil ion eager listeners. The SCUM,
are not cars and it is not for us
: stop its echo, but to give it vofhm
We do not create facts but chronic
. them.
The newspaper is swift winge'
and everywhere present, flying ov1
the fences. showed under tue doc
: tossed into the counting-house. la
on the workbench, hswked throug
the cars! Al read it, white AZ
black. German, Irish, Swiss, Spa
ish, American, old and youny
good and bad, sick and well, befo
, breakfast and after tea, Mond'
morning. Saturday night, Sands
= and week. Aud it must never shil
from its duty, however unpleasant
, unremuneratise it may appear at q
time.
: II the press as a body viii persi
0 in doing its duty it will have hut
short fight. Men who are not fttt
!, for office will see we are in earncs