Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-01-29
WARREN SHEAF.
Thursday, January 20, 1891.
1.-THE NEWSPAPER OF TO-DAY.
The Helper OF Religion, Science, Educa-
ton, and all Good Works.

No publisher or editor pretends that
he risks his capital, gives time, labor.
thought, and care to the making of q
newspaper, for charity's sake. He pub
fishes his journal as the book publisher
publishes his book-for profit as =
means of living or making fortune.
Publishing newspaper is strictly bust
ness, though there is no other business
on the face of the earth of which phil
anthropy and patriotism are so large q
part.
The newspaper is the helper of the
church and the school. of religion.
science. literature, art. industry agri-
culture-of everything which concerns
the good of society and the State. 1t
is the very prop and stay of charity
and public spirit; the most potent
enemy of public wrong or injustice;
and It must be so necessarily, as it is
public sentiment reflected in type. The
newspaper depends for it's success upon
popular favor. and the aim of every
one connected with it is that of win
ming popular favor by running upon
parallel lines with public morality.
TO say that the newspaper is published
for money is to say no harm of it. It
has passed into universal maxim that
1.-The church lives by the altar"-by
the contribution which the faithful lay
upon the altar. And it is true, and It
is not discreditable. The newspaper
press is generally as high in morals
and intelligence as the public con-
science and mind; higher than that it
can never be permanently, rs it must
be what society demands it shall be.
AS 4 matter of fact. it frequently runs
ahead. temporarily, of public sentiment
that destroys public wrongs; it often
secures justice by proclaiming the in.
justice.
The press is not without its faults.
but venality or untruth for moneys
sake is not one of them. Its worst
fault is its partisan prejudice, its in.
ability to perceive that the newspaper
that serves its country best serves its
party best. 1t does not lie for pelf, but
it does, for political expediency's sake,
too often fail to recognize the truth.
1t is not unclean for moneys sake. nor
sensational for profits sake. though it
may too often blunder into the mire or
into sensationalism through want of
good Judgment. The press of the
United States-and we speak, of course,
of that great body of reputable news
papers which really constitute the press
is just what readers of high of aver
age Intelligence and morals make it.
and it'rises day by day to higher planes
of Intelligence and morality.
To make the best, the truthfullest,
the cleanest newspaper. all other
things being equal is to make the most
profitable one. That is the experience
of every publisher and responsible
editor of II great and pecuniarily sue
cessful public journal. The press will
always have it's adverse critics. who If
run to the earth will be found to be
some unworthy discarded members of
it, or those with whom the press has
had to deal more in justice than in
mercy. As to its defense against
mendacious criticism. it is making it
daily; for tits compelling the testimony
of scores OF millions of readers to its
usefulness, its public spirit, its intelli-
gence, and its morality. Philadelphia
Iele01nOh .' I'd. r.. ... .'-- -