The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-08-27
8. saltwater, Minn, Thursday, Aug. ~, 1891.
JudtciOus Reading of the Periodical
Press.

JudtctOus Reading of the Periodical
Press.
SEQUEL TO us CRIME INTEREsTING?"
There is room for good judgment in
everything, and daily reading is no excep-
ton to the rule. 1t has come to pass that
periodical publications take up large part
of the time and attention of readers, and
the tendency in the case is for this kind of
printed page to draw too heavily upon us.
Most persons in towns read too much news.
paper and too little book. The newspapers
are abundant. are good as newspapers, and
are full of matter. They claim first atten-
ton because they contain the news; they
keep attention because the news is abun-
dainty padded, and because the newspaper
furnishes other attractive reading. Two or
three bad effects of confning ourselves to
such reading must be experienced. One is
that feverish interest in events of no great
Importance is created. and our thoughts re-
vOlve about such events. Another bad ef-
feet is that the knowledge of the newspa-
per devOurer is imperfect, scrappy, and
mixed with errors of fact and principle.
The newspaper is produced in haste. Ed
itors have no time to verify all facts and
sift out unsound opinions. It is kind of
intellectual bar-rOOm. where all sorts jOste
each other and live in good fellowship. The
very cOpiOusness and breadth,Of the journal
create a need of better and more accurate
reading. Its fragments need to be pieced
together by wider knowledge than it gives.
1t is enough to say that the present reading
habits of our people give to the newspaper
the first position as teacher of the people:
one should go on to reflect that this educa.
tiOn is not by any means the best. It is too
fragmentary and disconnected. The tend
ency which regret is not the fault of the
press, but it none the less requires the cor
rective of some kind of restraint upon the
habit of mOnOpoliZing so large portion of
our time. One may easily learn to read the
paper swiftly, get its proper value in few
moments and pass on. Information in more
connected and complete forms invite our
attention to books; and an intelligent per-
son should save some time for these more
valuable products of the press. There is
place, in short, for good judgment in limit
ing the intellectual tax which the newspa-
per levies upon us.
Good sense and sound discretion have
place also in selections of newspapers.
They differ. not exactly as one star dtfereth
from another star in glory. but rather as
pure article of merchandise differs from an
adulterated article. A clean press, in the
general sense of the term. has almost be.
come the rule; but there are still many un-
clean papers. The obviously unclean are
easily Stunned. Our danger comes from
periodicals conducted for particular ends,
to gain which the prOprietors will on occa-
sion sacrifice purity. 1 recollect many
years ago the condemnation in the strong
est terms of newspaper which had been
long honOred for its purity. which had de-
preciated the Importance of personal chas-
tity in public men. The incident and it's
cause can be applied as warning that
newspapers should change their tone as they
change editors. and that strong desire to
promote some object may blind an editor
and stain the fairest page. There is but
one remedy for this form of the evil, and
that is to cast out the newspaper which is
guilty of that OffenSe. There is need of
caution at this point. because a favOrite
newspaper. like the king in absolutism. can
do no wrong. We grow accustomed to be-
lieving it right. to accepting its teachings,
to dropping all critical safeguards and TAX
ing for good and sound opinions whatever
it may deliver to us. This is not a safe
habit. Editors like William Cullen Bryant
die and their successors may be of another
spirit. Few newspapers are the same in
moral complexion for twenty years; death
and business changes inevitably alter them.
Even our favorite newspaper needs watch
ing; and we ought never to condone so gross
an outrage on the sanctities of life as the
one in which l have reluctantly referred.
Another place for good judgment is in
selecting the kind of periodical literature
we read. There is great variety. Some
are too light; some are too heavy. Some
are frivolous in spirit and purpose; others
are so solid that they weigh down the eye
lids of the reader. It is not necessary that
GOOD -sIossid laa li&nloca asad