The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-05-06
PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
The Power of the Press often Used to
Mislead the Public.


Public sentiments the ruling powe
OF this country. 1t makes governor
and destroys rulers It enacts stat
utes and repeats laws. 1t pronounce
decisions and reverses the edict of Law
and the mandate OF the courts. It i,
the enthroned arbiter of the destinies
OF this people. 1t is the uncrowned
king. without purple robe or simmer.
ing sceptre. that makes every powe,
bow to its demands and ali rulers pay
obeisance to its dictum.
The prass. the pulpit the bar and
the stage are the great shapers. mould
ers and directors of public sentiment.
Each has its particular sphere and fills
Its own mission. The press is first men.
toned. because it is regarded as the
most potent and influential. and by
reaching the largest number with
more frequency. Is the most universal
In its effects upon the body polite.
This influence is not realized bv
those affected by it. 1t comes to the
home in the quiet serenity of sur
roundings and addresses the mind
when most liable to impressions and
influences If honest truthful, un-
biased. and sincerely seeking to con-
vey accurate Information and incul-
cate correct principles. it is a power
for good and a means of education
that is most wholesome and desirable.
Ii. on the other hand. it seeks only to
pervert, to distort and carry the mind
to the adoption of certain purposes
regardless of the correctness of the
statements made to assure that result
it is an insidious and dangerous SER
pent to be taken to the bosom.
Newspaper men study the applica-
tlon OF the powers and influences pos
sessed by the instrumentality in their
hands. 10 the conscientious editor
there is a responsibility which at
taches to his work that often makes
him shudder with dread at the per-
formance of the duties devolved upon
him to take position on questions
which arise. SO many read and gulp
down what they peruse. without CUES
tlon as to its accuracy in fact or cor
rectness of principle. that to lead
these correctly is a very grave respon-
slbilitv. That class who read and
analyze everything, is much preferred.
because no one likes to assume respon-
5lbility for all the errors which falli-
bic human nature is certain to commit.
The Alliance Herald has ALWAYS
sought to impress upon its readers to
'ead carefully and analyze closely
everything any newspaper may state,
,schewlng the false and accepting the
correct as they read.
Ii all would do this correct public
sentiment would be formed. Correct
would enforce righteous
policies and wholesome and salutarv
government would be the result This
$ the beginning OF government in
his country. 1t is the seed planting
rom which all the budding forth and
rultlon of policies and incidents to
have their start.
One OF the most common tricks in
ewspaperdom is to adroitly WELD
ophistry so as to mislead the careless
r obtuse. A false premise, with a
rain of truth in it which the reader
Vii recognize. while all the other
tatements are unknown to him. is
1ade the basis from which deductions
re made. which. of course, BEING
lade from false premises will be false
ut as the reader does not know the
acts about the premises. he onlv in
ulres as to the legitimate manner
which the deduction is made
nd if that is correct he
ccepts ALL and is deceived.
Another very common usage, par
cularly in campaigns, is racket"
little trivial matter that of itself.
to nothing is introduced
lther as terrible thing without anv
uthor, or by mysterious illusions and
'rrible forebodings of a coming
'orm, it is gradually brought to the
reader having it i'm
ressed upon him in all it's enormitv
efore he knows exactly what it is.
IS adroitly worked by combination
manipulators, who add a little or
visit it somewhat but keep on the
aln line to impress that it is terrible
nd awful. After it has gone several
eeks it bursts. The public is edu-
ated to believe that the victim is ex.
ected to answer every perversion.
very feature and all that was said.
he does not then he is harpooned
r not meeting it like a man. If
does his utterances are perverted.
IS motives aspersed and his inten. =,
ons tried to be shown to be unworthy
dishonorable. The racket monger
the meanest liar and most despic-
Die wretch with which newspaperdom
ever cursed. If the public would
lalyze him and his methods instead
his victim. and scrutinize carefully
wv he works. with reminder of con-
mpt for his tricks it would correct {
is Infamous business which is so I
oroughly worked in every campaign.
These two variations from correct S
ethods in manipulating public senti- t
ent are only illustrations of manv 4
lcks in the trade. They are the 4
ost common and usual which are {
nployed. Nearly every reader of a {
per finds one Or the other of these 7
lcks. particularly if the paper is a 8
tier partisan. 3
IA