The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-07-19

U.s.
history than the average Statesman"
at Washington ever knew.
A country newspaper that never has
any political convictions would be
gathered into dime museum as the
great curiosity of the century. The
newspaper as rule is right from its
party standpoint. It requires no evil
dence to show that the newspaper press
leads in the van of discussion, so that
party platforms are but the concensus
of the most enlightened newspaper
opinions. The party paper is usually
better than the party leaders. No body
of men are such conspicuous moral
towards as the protested politicians who
Imagine they are the leaders Of their
party. The place hunter turns and
twists to make himself fit into some fat
office for which he has no more aptness
than has lightning bug to take the
place of locomotive headlight. He is
the fellow who makes life burden to
the editor. He is every day visitor,
and ever an unmitigated bore. Finally,
in spite of his conscience, and as sort
Of deymSes' resort to rid himself of the I'M
welcome presence, the editor writes a
three line editorial stating that: I'VE
learn that Hon. Hezelziah Hoot, OF Back
set township, will be u candidate for
the Legislature this fall. His fitness for
the place speaks for itself" Mr.. Hoot
reads that paper aloud to his wife and
children, and the editor is remem bered
at family prayers, and the next day one
of the more tender Hoots lays upon his
table mammoth goose egg, with the
compliments of Mrs. Hoot. Then the
trouble begins in good earnest. The
editor thought he had gotten rid Of
Hoot, but he is greatly mistaken. Mr..
Hoot is not that kind of an owl. The
poor editor hears that the suggestions
of The Weekly Critic that Mr.. Hoot
be sent to the Legislature is taking like
wildfire all over the district. Mr.. Hoot
has used plenty of "kindling" in every
school district and the fire is burning
sure enough. Then the editor votes
himself goose. Ell writes LEADER
calling upon ''the party" to use great
care in selecting candidate, and pictur-
ing the qualities essential to fill the
bill. Then he says to himself: "That
will settle the fate of Mr.. Hezekiah
Hoot. We shall hear no more of his
fool candidacy" But Mr.. Hoot isn't
built that way, Once a candidate, al
ways candidate, is his platform, and
when convention day arrives the editor
is COMPOUNDED by his subscribers telling
him that his ''leader" describing the
man wanted had made Mr.. Hoot the
nominee--that his modesty in not allow
ing the editor to use his name in that
article had determined them to favor
the policy of their :favorite county paper
and >'let the Office seek the man." 1t
found Hoot-and Mr.. Hoot managed to
meet the office little more than half
way. Then the editor wishes he had
not written that three line item, and he
seriously ontemplates selling out and
moving over into ''poor old Missouri"
where responsibility in journalism is not
up to his ideal Kansas standard. Then
he shouts in double loaded editorials:
tVote for Hon. Hezekiah Hoot for the
Legislature!' Thus saying softly to
himself: ''Well, Hoot is as good as the
general average Of legislators, and the
4
than the last one" But that editor will
never be caught in that trap again. He
has learned that his editorial pencil is a
powerful and dangerous weapon-and
heneeforth he will go slow, for now he
knows it is loaded, and that it some
times kills the wrong game.
But enough of Hon. Hezekiah Hoot.
He is now one of the distinguished
Statesmen" who peddle out Federal
patronage at. Washington. His supply
of kindling wood has kept the fires OF
enthusiasm burning at the proper sea-
son for Hoot. He belongs to that class
who seldom die and never resign. You
all know him. He does not live in your
county, but we all remember seeing
him in our younger days, before we had
sense enough to locate in this favored
portion of Kansas. Some day Hoot will
die. Then we will write his obituary
in one sentence: Gle was a nanufact-
ured accident; the product of a three
line item in a country newspaper"
The newspaper is now the most indie
earth; and 1t ought to continue so. 1t
has no veneration for doctrine, plat
form or creed simply because of it's age.
The editor realizes that there is nothing
on earth so venerable as sin-and moth
ing is SO strongly entrenched behind
the bulwarks Of constitutions, courts
and statutes as tyranny and wrong.
Progress marks every step of the his
tory of the press. 1t is never inert and
never steps backward. 1t has fought
from the beginning for wider human
liberty, for broader thought and high
or and better manhood. In spite of it's
environments it has headed the process
sion in the worlds onward march in
civilization. It is always strongly parti
san, but more strongly patriotic. 1t is
better than it's party leaders, for it
breathes the fresher air of the broad
country fields, while these so-called
''leaders" are sweating along in the
muddy ruts of official life with their
ears so close to the public treasury that
they often-too often-mistake the NUT
terings of corrupt lobby for the
voice of public sentiment.
Henry Clay said: II had rather be
right than be President" Tie newspa-
~ kt1