Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-27
COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY.

The San Francisco Gail, discussing the
question of neglect of jury-duty, and the
interference of certain newspapers with
jury selection, declared that 81 the people
hold the remedy in their hands" A cor
respondent thereupon takes the Cal to
task, and says that being one of the
people" he fails to understand wherein he,
having done his duty by refusing to en-
courage that vicious journalism that at
tempts to "hulldoze" and I" fix" juries,
can possibly be to blame. Thereupon the
Call replies that it referred to "the people"
as body and adds:
The influence of an individual is limited, but
still Is factor in the calculation. Where
citizen Is doing all he can and apparently with
out results he naturally becomes skeptical as to
the power of the public to remedy abuses. In
the article referred to the Cal condemned the
course OF a contemporary in trying criminal
cases in advance of their admission 10 jury.
In the first article we showed how self-respect-
ing men were driven to seek excuses from Jury
duty and III the second how an unscrupulous
neH spaper can influence juries without at
tempting to bride them. Now we will venture
the assertion that newspaper conducted on
this plane consultS what 1t believes to be its own
interests. If the public should demonstrate
that it does not want TO substitute newspaper
trial for jury trial IL would cease TO usurp the
functions OF Courts. II this license of the press
pays II Is the fault of the public and the remedy
lies in their hands
That Is the right way to put the ques-
ton. Where every individual in COM
munity excuses himself from blame for
the support of an evil then all are charge
able. But those who do cast their infu-
ence against the vicious, are, of course,
exempt from inclusion with "the people"
who do not exert themselves. The truth
is, that very many men are driven from
jury duty for fear of the sensational
press. Such fears are weak, of
course, but they exercise a positive
influence nevertheless. Communities are
to blame when any great evil continues
undated in their midst-this must be so,
or self-government is farce. 1t will not
do for good citizens" to shrug their
shoulders and deprecate the "sad state of
affairs" and wish for better things. I'm
less they act affirmatively and aggressivelv
to change conditions, they are individually
chargeable with the blame. If vicious
newspaper terrorizes the town, drives good
influences out of it by its prying and sneer-
ing, keeps men out of the jury-bcx under
the influence Of fear of lampooning in
type, and the community maintains the
sheet, that people has no reason to COM
plain of the evil results that follow. There
is deplorably large number of such pa
pers in the country. They thrust them
selves beyond the legitimate lines of criti-
cism in efforts to dictate to iuries and
Courts, and try cases in advance, and Just
in degree as citizens give them counte-
nance and material support, to just that
extent the community is responsible. As
the Gail puts it, the same is true in other
matters. If two bosses dominate San
Francisco, as it asserts, it is the fault
of the people who go to the
polls and vote the tickets these men put
forward in their own interests, and the
fault equally of those who remain away
from the polls and vote with neither side.
When tickets fairly represent the people
of San Francisco there will be boss at
tached to neither; when a newspaper in
terferes with the course of justice and re-
ceives the support of the people, the latter
are as much responsible as when they sur
render their political freedom to ward
bosses. What is needed in either case is
not regrets and lifting of the eye
brows," but aggressive action. As the Call
says:
The remedy is in the hands of the public,
and II they do not see fit to use it they must
stand the consequences of their own neglect
The difference between cities as place of resi-
dcnce arises largely from the manner in which
the public collectively performs its duties In
Que city mendacious aed sensational journalism
is not profitable. in another it is. In one CITY
the mass OF the voters act together to throw off
the shackes of political bosses, in another the
bosses and their retainers dictate nominations
and thereby divide the offices among them
selves. such partition of public PATRONAGE
means extravaganza, Incompetence, and a sa e
OF justice to the highest bidder.