The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-03
NEWSPAPER ETHICS.

The Alta gave notice yesterday shat it
suspended publication. OF its right to die
there can be no question; but its right to
enbody in lis last dying speech and con-
fession a statement that it had fallen a
victim TO its devotion to decency, principle
aud courage" aud that it might have lived
had it been more pliable and less con-
scientious. viii not be admitted on this
Cast
The ABa did not die of a surfeit of de
cenry. principle and courage" 1t did
nothing of the kind 1t lost the support
which once made it the leading paper Of
the Coast by taking the side of corporations
and individuals against The public. It fell
into the hands of clique which fancied
that purchased newspaper could help their
schemes When it was really mout piece
Of the people Of this city and this State,
it enjoyed an income commensurate with its
deserts; it was when it ceased to be that
mouthpiece and became the organ Of per-
sons and corporations that the income was
withdrawn, and the paper left to be main
tanned by those in whose interest it was
published.
1t is intolerable that a newspaper which
fOurished for forty years in this city should
In which want of principle and the habit of
pandeTing to the criminal and the profigate
are indispensable TO the success Of public
newspaper. That is a libel on the char
acter of the citizen and the town. 1t is as
much as to say that the mass of the people
are Unprincipled and in sympathy with
crime and profllgacy. The gentlemen who
have lately been identified with the conduct
e In IA I'd r. 70
this On the platform, or in court, or in a
private drawing-rOOm-f0r they know that
it is not true, and that while lack of princi-
pie and crime and pro1igacy often escape
cOndisn punishment here. they have DO
apologists except from the vicious element.
The attempt of the Aba to make out that
it died because it was too yirtuous to live in
this atmosphere is farcieal For years it
has been publishing false statements in the
interests of the corporations which supplied
it with pap. and of individuals who paid it
TO puff them; and it has been suppressing
news which initiated against the schemes
Of its hackers. Was this principle? Was
this decency? Does a rooted aversion to
the assertio falsi and the suppressiO veri
which we're the eorner-stones Of the AHa'S
recent policy imply a want Of virtue in a
CUM III dulAA
In an obituary much is forgiven. When
a noted man dies and a silYer-tongued orator
is retained to deliver funeral discourse, it
is understood that the speaker shall glow
over the virtues Of the deceased and be
blind to his faults. But he must not eulo-
gize the dead at the cost of the living, nor
faIsify history to glorify his hero. The
rule VIII apply to newspapers as well as
men.
If the author of the funeral polemic over
the TIA had been wisely minded he would
have bestowed his attention on the career
of that sheet when it was a real organ Of
public opinion, high principled, truthful,
courageous and patriotic. His work would
then have commended itself to general ap-
probation; the press would have applauded
fitting tribute to a journal which in its
day was an honor to the Coast. The vale
dictory which did appear in our late contem-
porary supplies in itself sufficient cause
for its demise There are not many
persons who would turn the suspension
Of the oldest newspaper on the Coast
into Tidicule by whining that it 'had stood
for virtue. uprightness and righteousness as
long as it could and had finally preferred to
die in a halo"