St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-03
FUNCTION THE PRESS.


Another criticism has been made of
this papers course in this matter.
Some people have said that the location
OF the new harvester works is a thing
for the management alone to decide, and
that it Is not a legitimate subject for
newspaper or the public to discuss-in
other words, that it is none of their bus
mess. They argue that considerations
of profit to the stockholders should gov
ern, land the company's directors are the
best judges of what will best subserve
these ends. Whether they act wisely or
not is a topic on which the stockhold-
ers will have right to an opinion; be-
cause they are amehable to them, but
that it is other peoples duty to hold
their tongues.
Whoever talks in this fashion has a
very elementary notion of the function
of the press. Any subject which con-
Germs the general welfare not only is
opento comment i'll public newspaper,
but actually invites comment there.
During the past year the GLOBE, for
example, has lent its columns freely to
arOuSing popular interest in the estab-
iishment of local manufacturing indus
tries. 1t has shown what st. Paul has
already achieved IN this direction and
has pointed out the avenues along which
further progress could be made. 1t has
contributed, as far as lay in its power,
to educate our people to realize the i'm
portanee of projects of this sort as an
agency In our municipal advancement,
and it takes to itself no little of the
credit for the widespread and well-de-
fined feeling which undoubtedly exists
in the city today in regard to these
things.
This was surely part OF its reason
able duty, because it is founded and
maintained as much to stimulate and
direct whatever is calculated for the
good of st. Paul and the state as it is
to disseminate the daily record of mems
doings in this and other parts of the
world. 1t ought not to stop here, how
ever. 1t is right and necessary that it
should utter words of warning when
they are needed, and words of criticism
when the occasion seems to call for
them. The progress of this community
in the line along which it is now NOV
ing was rudely Interrupted a haIf-dee-
ade ago by the disastrous failure of a
private enterprise started here, aud in
which many of our citizens had invested
large sums of money. This experience
bred distrust Of manufacturing indus
tries from which we nave not even vet
altogether rallied. Will anybody say
that if the press of st. Paul could have
prevented this calamity, SO overwhelm-
ing in its results, by few bold utter
ances at the time, it should not have
done so? If there are such people, they
are entirely out of sympathy with the
prevailing habits of thought.
In every civilized land today news
papers are freely discussing social and
industrial. as we'll as political topics,
and pointing out the way of truth to
their readers. They are .subjecting to
searching examination the management
OF this private enterprise and that one.
Is it none of their business to reveal
the rottenuess of a bank or trust asso-
citation to which the unwary are pinning
their faith, all unmindfuI Of the crash
which is impending? Is it none of their
business to pillory quacks who are prey
ing on the credulous? Far otherwise.
Newspapers in this age effect an en-
trance everywhere. and it is their ap-
pointed sphere to unmask wrong of
every kind, and to cooperate in any
project which contains within itself the
promise of advantage to mankind,
whether within wide or narrow limits.
Newspapers start great enterprises,
found and sustain great charities, in
augurate and .consummate reforms in
morals and manners, erect monuments
to the memory of the worthy dead, and
testimonials to the achieving living.
In the new West where we live, news
papers do more than any of these things.
They actually build cities, and that is
what the GLOBE is striving to do here.
1t counts itself among the makers of ST.
Paul, and it knows of no higher mission,
and seeks for no higher one. In this
spirit and to this end it reserves the right
to express its opinions distinctly, and
SO that any one can understand, on any
matter which is in any way connected
with this goal of its am bition. lie the
Wood company could earn bigger dIvi-