The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-13
TEE VISIT OF THE JOURNALISTS.
A party will arrive here to-day which
will consist of
Chiefs amang US taking notes,
ArLl a b Inv rara IL lal

will consist of
Chiefs amang taking notes
Aud faith they'll preat EN-
For they are newspaper men, representing
a number Of press clubs, whose members
propose to combine the pleasures of a winter
jaunt to a region where the roses bloom in
January with the business Of acquiring
some information Of q State which is still very
impeIfectly known in the East. 1t may be
hoped that they will be Hospitality enter
tanned; for, though the leading men who
control the American press have not been
able to find time to participate in the eX-
cursiOn. the party contains younger jour
nalists who we may hope viii attain pO-
sitions in which they can do their share in
molding pnblic opinion.
The visitors will find much to surprise
them and something to arouse their admira-
ton. They will find a well-built and on the
whole well-ordered city with libraries,
churches theaters hotels, clubs, q park and
schools, all frSt-claSs, on a spot which was
a collection of sand dunes when New York
had established itself as the commercial me-
tropoliS of the East They will fiud an in
telligent society. familiar with science, let
tiers and art, polished by culture and
broadened by contact with many races and
conditions of men. They will find lawyers.
doctors and engineers who can hold their
own with their Eastern brethren, and they
VIII observe that in proportion TO popula-
ton this coast is furnishing as many candi-
dates for supremacy in every branch of
knowledge as the States which were well
advanced in those branches when the In
dian and the yaquero were monarchs of all
they surveyed west of the mountains.
A distinguished divine lately declared
from a secular pulpit that they Will not find
here press which will commend itself on
the ground Of yirile yigor. When the rev.
erend doctor thus criticized the newspapers
Of oan Francisco he forgot that be was pro-
uouncing sentence on his own cloth: for,
rs every one knows, the press IS a mere re-
HeX Of the community which supports it,
and If the community be feeble, portion at
least of the blame must fall on the clergy
which fail TO mold it on more vigorous
lines. A strong clergy makes Il strong peo-
pie, and a strong people demand strong
newspapers. We must all stand Or fall to-
EetheT. As q matter of fact Il does not APP
pear that the press Of this city is fairly
chargeab,e with weakness or c0wardice
when really important questions came up.
lrspo6e with 10 uncertain sound when the
supreme Court stretched forth its arm to
shield the bOOdieTs, and II is not backward
in trying 10 arouse public spirit, which
insists on 4 more equitable division of the
products Of productive Industry between
producer and carrier. That there still lin
gers IN our press some yes.ige Of the pro-
Yincialism which IS characteristic or new
communities is not to be denied. But in
what part Of the world are newspapers to
be found which are always broad, and never
narrow and provincial? Ii will be time
enough to expect Ideal newspapers when we
have ideal clergymen, IDEAL judges. ideal
Senators an ideal men of affairs.
The point TO which the more intelligent
among our visitors will direct their atten-
ton Will be the wide difference between
Western opinion and Eastern opinion on a
large number Of leading topics. This differ
ence arises mainly from the variation which
exists between the East and the West in re-
gard to conditions. interests. geographical
position and future propsects. The great
body Of States lying east of the Alleghauies
cannot increase their population 10 any ma
teriai extent without lowering the price Of
labor and aggrayatiug the struggle for life
IN the great central States on the river
valleys the limit Of production has probably
been nearly reached, and there is little pros
pect of further lively progress under present
conditions for some years to come. Whereas
this slope is at the outset Of its career. This
State alone can support a population OF
twenty millions and feed them all without
reducing wages below the cost OF living 1t
is a mere matter Of time when the tide Of
immigration which has been flowing into
the river valleys and the Northwest" viii
be diverted 10 the shores of the Pacific.
When it does changes of high moment, po-
Hucal, industrial and commercial, are bound
to follow. Our public is anticipating these
changes aud forming lis opinions accord
Hg,y. The visiting journalists VIII render
good service 20 their constituents if they De-
gin to educate them in this matter; it is one
which is imI erfectly understood on the
other side Of the noun taJns.