Helena weekly herald., 1889-06-13
Personal JOURNALISM.
Criticism of Press Association
Resolution.
New York Sun. |

| New York SUM-
The Arkansas Press Association has
passed resolution to this effect:
We recommend that this association re-
| fuse to exchange with any editor who in
dulges in personal journalism.
What do our Arkansas friends mean by
personal journalism? They certainly can
not mean to taboo, ostracize and stigmatize
those of their brethren Of the press who
discuss individuals, for there is no duty
more imperatively binding on the editor
than the duty OF dealing with persons ac-
cording to their desert 1t is always more
agreeable to speak of our fellows in terms
OF praise than in terms of reproacb, but
that is no justification for neglecting to
utter the words of condemnation when
truth and the public interest require that
they should be spoken. 1t is ungenerous
to refrain from applause when appreciation
is due, and it is cOwardly to avoid con-
demnation simply because to express it is
to exercise an unpleasant function.
No right-minded editor enjoys the per-
formance of the duty of rebuking, ex posing
or castigating one OF the members of his
glorious profession but, all the same, there
are times when he is under a religious OBJ
legation to tear off DISCUSSES and to apply
the lash with yigor and pertinacity. False
logic, vicious moral or political teaching,
fraud, humbug, lies false pretenses, must
be dealt with as they deserve, even though
they are displayed by fellow editor. A
man who abuses his high privileges and
great power as an editor to promulgate
evil and to mislead the people should be
promptly and sharply chastised by his
brethren. They should lay ON the rod and
spare not so long as he persists in his
wicked course.
But if our Arkansas friends mean that
personal squabbles between editors, grow
ing out of mere envy, jealousy, and child
ish rivalry, are unbefitting the dignity of
the editorial profession, we are in entire
agreement with them. If they cannot get
on higher plane and discuss principles
with each other like reasonable creatures,
they bring the newspaper business into re-
proach. More than that, they neglect what
most conduces to their own prosperity. In
stead of attending to their own affairs they
are meddling with other peoples. They
are so much interested in watching the
shop across the way that they forget to at
tend properly to the wants of their custom
eTs. They are so much engaged in count
ing up the circulation of their rivals that
their own circulation falls off Even if
they prosper they are not happy, if some
competitor prospeIs also.
But fair and even sharp discussion be-
tween journals is always proper and legiti-
mate. 1t gives life to a paper, and the
public enjoy it, for human nature loves a
square fight, and respects man who is
ready both to give and to receive blows.
No 10 bor ,r,l Ill.
ing to an editor which entities him to ex-
emptiOn from attack. He should not be
allowed to remain an anonymous charac-
ter. His newspaper gives him a power for
whose exercise he should be held per-
sonally responsible. Men in public life
Presidents, Senators, Congressman, Cabinet
officers, GOvernorns and legislators are all
freely criticised, and why should editors
escape? They claim the liberty of finding
fault with other people, whom they desig-
nate by name, and they should stand ready
to endure criticism on their own side. The
personality behind the newspaper should
be brought TO view, and if the editor de-
serves punishment he should get it. There
Is no great newspaper in this country of
which some individual does not appear as
the representative The New York Tribune
" 40 All. w hitCldW lsclu uuUll ut wen
as Minister to Paris. The Louisville Cour.
ier-Journal is Mr.. Henry Watterson. The
Cincinnati Commercial is Mr.. Richard
Smith The Philadelphia Times is Col.
Mcclure. They are all persons, and their
journalism is personal journalism. None
of them wishes 10 escape individual respon-
sibihty for the course of his newspaper,
and it will be an evil day for American
journalism if ever newspapers cease to be
represented by individual editors known to
the public and held under criticism by
them. A purely anonymous journalism is
altogether undesirable
But editors who respect themselves and
their readers do not vent merely personal
grievances They are above envy and
jealously, and they work together as a
band of brethren in grand and noble pro-
fession, hitting hard, it may be, but never
below the belt, and never in malice or bad
blood
Personal journalism, Arkansas friends!
There is no journalism worth consideration
that is not personal.
SfrIcL on ~ Ifh PARALYSIS