Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-05-04
ItIs Not Right.

The Reading railroads projected ele-
vsted railroad into the heart OF Philadei-
mia. has reached the state Of profit to
the Philadelphia newspapers. These
journals strike banana Of this kind
periodically. The last occasion was
when the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
sought entrance into the city, and needed
an ordinance from councils. Public opin-
ion had to be conciliated and newspaper
opinion to be secured. The two opinions
are intimately associated, but are by no
means necessarily concurrent. 1t Is
quite possible for newspaper to
have an interest for or against o
scheme, apart from that of the public
AID it is possible, too, that a newspaper
may honestly entertain different opin-
ion from the public, without any special
interest to prompt it though this is not
any too often the case. 1t is certainly
very proper for people, who are asking
privileges from city, to seek to persuade
the people, by communication, TO them
that their scheme is for the public ben
eft. 1t is certainly proper that they shall
use the advertising columns of the news.
papers in which to publish what they
have TO say, and that they should pay the
newspapers for it. A Journal that opens
Its advertising columns to the claim.
ants of public privileges cannot
be deemed to be thereby brlbed,
for 1t is just the use to which its
advertising columns are devoted. 1t
is true that the expectation of profitable
advertising may tone down editorial
comment upon schemes of public plum
der, and very often, IL not generally, it has
this effect. 1t is true that the advertise
ment is often inserted with the expecta-
tion that it will be effective as bribe.
Stillit is the newspapers right to receive
it aad no one can object when it is
plainly earmarked as an advertisement.
But it is quite otherwise when it has no
such ear marks, but appears as matter Of
news or editorial comment. We do not
think that any journal has a right to de.
ceive its readers by printing advertise
ments in shape that gives them, and is
intended to give them, the appear.
ance of unpaid-for selections and the
force of the newspapers approval. 1t is a
fraud upon the reader, which has become
much too common aud which is practlsed
in metropolitan journals of great claim:
to independence and respectability. II
very often proclaims that the independ
ence is lacking and that q big newspaper
mortgage turks somewhere about.
We note that the Philadelphia Rccorc
prints to-day the communication Of The
elevated railroad people, with nothing to
mari that it came TO it ready made from
their hands. The Times, North A,neri.
can and Inquirer do the same.
The Press prints it in shape that
shows it TO he an advertisement; and the
Ledger publishes it distinctly in its ad
vertsipg columns. 1t may DO that tn,
journals that print the views of " a gen
tleman who is large owner of Tea
estate" without indicating that they art
paid to print them, have warmer side
for the elevated railroad project than
have the journals which clothe it in the
smaller advertising type. But this is no
reason for deceiving the public into be-
lieving that they are printing the "gen.
tleman's" views for their intrinsic worth,
when in fact they are paid forit in dollars.