Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1889-09-12

iash. Inc EDITORS true POSITION Is
between the people and bis party.
where he should ever bravely hold
aloft the flaming light of Truth.
2. It is the duty of the pres 70 be
clean. Anything savoring of yuIgarity
Or obscenity should never be allowed
to stain the columns of the messenger
We send out weekly or daily to the
homes of cur neighbors In the ma
notony Of our accustomed work we
may be prone to forget the eager aftsn-
tion with which the newspaper Is
scanned oY at least a portion Of its
readers, especially those living remote
from cities, and to whom il is almost
the only messenger from tue wide,
busy world around them. l can -onls
appreciate this fnlly nov by recalling
the intense eagerness with which tie
youth and children in my own old
country home 81, = T-afnn the weekly
eennty paper, ami read it through
from first to last. sometimes won.
der If the weekly edition of my little
news-messenger is so watched for and
welcomed, and think that If il is, even
in here and there family, L ought 20
feel repaid for all its labor and cost;
and then 1 re-resolYe that nothing
shall 60 forth into these homes arfd
among these boys and girls that could
be the seed of vice or crime. We
know not how small seed may con
tain the germ of tree ia whose
branches the carrion birds of lust and
vice may lodge, deflinp he whole life.
An eminent journalist once laid down
the iule tAat 10 word or wordei
thought shoald ever appear in his
paper that could call blush 10 tue
cheek of the purest girl, and think
the test a Good one. Vile Thoughts
and unclean suggestions come naturally
and quickly enough, without being
called into existence or nourishe,l by
the newspapers. A little fun along
with the news and discussions n veil
enough; indeed, I think newspaper
is not complete witbontit; but it shoald
be clean, bright, pure fun, like tae
sparkling chatterng of the mountaih
brook, not like the noisome exhala-
tions of the stagnant pool.
3. It's the duty of the press to be
courageous. Sometimes wesre tempt
ed 10 toadv to wealth or power, and 1t
takes little moral courage TO treat
twenty dollar piece al.h the sams
calm, impartial justice that we would
a little silver dime. But right an.i
truth are just as apt, and often more
so, to he with the dime as with the
eagle. We like the yellow boys in
exchange for advertising, and / confess
they must be made 70 cosgr
tnda Of small sins in the adve.
columns; but let them not CORN
a quad-width or a lead-space the
or the editorial columns. Thes.
fOrs larger and more varied S.
than any professor teaches, iIloi-
numerous audience than listens to any
preacher. Tell the truth in them:
proclaim with uncoucealed approval
a good deed, though done by tenant
of your county .jril; condemn any act
of injustice, oppression or wrong, xith
no uncertain sound, though yonr shaft
lind its target in breast shields d 6e-
hind a diamond, or in hand holding
long reins of civil power. 1t is mol the
business or duty of the press to s.,ek
notoriety by constant or indiscriminata
censure fall such, in either public or
private life, as are assailable; but here
and there in almost every community.
some extreme wickedness, OF some
fragrant instance of injustice or oppres-
sion, or neglect of duty, not only
deserves but demands i1i5 caurageous,
outspoken, uncompromising exposure
and denunciation of the press In the
performance of this duty Yen may have
, to attack gangs of gamblers, some of
whom are rufians as well; or munici.
pal officers who are shsmefully derelict
in duty; or tyrants whose wealth is too
often defense for oppression; but
when the duty is once clear il should
{ be fully and fearlessly performed
Courageous utterances in this line Of
duty are generally disagreeable, and
are sometimes dangerous but the moral
coward has no business to be an editor.
, The assumption of the quasi pubIic
/ duties of an editor necessitatrs Il
those duties are to be well performed,
the constant exhibition Of a hich de.
gree Of moral courage.
Other duties | might mention, OF
r rather other particulars in which the
B performance or neglect OF these duties
/ might be illustrated, but I stop here
Honesty, cleanliness, courage; IL in al
2 we write or clip, or accept, for publ
: cation, we remember and follow The
t teaching of these three words, we sha.
| not stray fer frols the line Of icuraal
|, istic duty. And no can find in any
7 occupation, inspiration for duty-,ioiir. ).
} in these respect f-iasl.irstion to -IuS
t esty, CLEANLINESS and coufaee-if =,
& may moth Into store and shor. I'M,
!, office and bank, into court and cam,,
| into palace ghd hoyel, we enter a.,
:, speak, and 6nform, and teach. All w
will not ittf-rest very much: some y
will not always please; set when tI.es
z hundreds and thousands of men. won,
I en- and children buy from rs news AN,
compents, they are certainly entitle.
to cur best efforts and to eonstan y
I exercise of these qualities-l,onesa :
i bpufity and moral courage.
I With these constantly remembere
and acted upon, many of these thou
sands will be our supporters and friend
I and among them We will deserve 5
!, enemies.
d And when at last the emf. el,let
q hand can no longer guide the. shar,
? scissors or the nimble pen; when tb'
+ dimmed eye can no longer scan fb,
9 proof sheets or peruse the welcome ex
i changes; when we have written III,