Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-07
INDEPENDENT vs.. PARTY JOUR
EALIEM.

The day Of the party Journal passed
some wears ago, with the coming of the
independent newspaper. The real expo
nents of public opinion in journalism are
these papers that discuss public questions
from the standpoint OF reason, wholly ire
gpeclive Of the mere policy dictates OF par
tisans, and fearless of the crack of the party
whip. 1t is to safe say that if the polit-
cal questions OF the day were debated, and
public men criticised only by the party
organs, journalism would exercise scarcely
any influence worth the mentioG in any
campaign. The fact is, that the party
organ commands no respect from any intel
ligent reader because he knows it speaks
by the card and automatically; that it is
wound up to play given tune end cannot
change it if it would, by Che rejection of so
much as single false note.
Bat independence il Journalism does
not imply neutrality ia politics. On the
contrary, the Independent press is the
leader, in journalism, of public thought; or
more properly the exponent Of the best
thought of the day, since all the world
recognizes its freedom from partisan shack
les. There are not wanting party men, how
ever, who assume that because an indie
pendent journal deems it wise and
right to champion the declared policy and
uphold the principles Of given polit-
ical organization, that it is traitor
Gus If it at any time exercises
its right to sharply criticise the men or
methods of the party. 1t is probable that
such people will always be found, incap-
able of comprehending. that party docs not
acquire proprietorship right in an indie
pendent journal that espouses its cause.
The party paper forever finds the party
dead weight from beneath which it can
never rise to perception of its defects, and
it is therefore forever incapable of working
reforms or correcting abuses in 1t. Intro
spection is forbidden to the political organ ;
it must dance as it is piped unto and
since the people knew these things to be
true it is utterly valueless as a political
agency. The evidences of this fact are
abuudaDt Wrong and mistaken as we be-
lieve it to be, the New York Euening Post
in its assaults upon the Republican party,
has shown that because its predictions
were for that party, it does not follow that
the party managers own it. The New
York World has attained its present prom
inence and potency as Democratic
journal, simply and solely because
independence has lifted it to that
plane ont of absolute bankruptcy of in
huence. ard from the slough OF abject
party seryitude in which it wallowed.
The Chicago tribune is a pioneer in the
advocacy of the substructural principles Of
the Republican party, yet the great in
luence it Yields Is due to its independent
character and It's freedom from the
dictation Of party bosses and man
ayers. The New York Tribune is
one of the more potential advo-
Gates of the Republican party; yet,
1t is so Independent that it is able at any
time to re5Uao the party manipulators,
aud to speak Of measures and men from lis
conviction, OF tight and regardless OF what
party or party managers may say. And
instances Of this character might be cited
IN vast number, while Oh the other hand
IL is extremely difficult to bring 10 memory
The name Of any purely party organ that
makes any strong or lasting impression
upon the public mind. The journals of
the day, however, great and small, are
myriad that pursue an Independent course ;
that have opinions on all topics, and that
express them freely without a moments
thought of the effect the expression may
make in the councils of those politicians
whose ideas do not rise to any higher
level than of partisan triumph. The read
ing public is discriminating and critical
1t recognizes the party organ, the sub
servient partisan sheet, at sight. and esti-
mates it at its true value and without any
intellectual or ether difficulty. 1t is the
builder of the Independent journal, in fact,
since the latter answers to and is the pro-
duct of the demand for it. Allof which is
indicative of growing freedom in political
thought, higher plane for the discussion
Of public questions, a broader and better
informed intelligence upon topics and con-
corning issues involving theories and
schemes of government.
GENERAL HARRISON AND TIE CHI