The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-09-22
THE BLACK CAT.
THE MODERN JUDAS or AMERICAN
JOURNALISM.


Mr.. Dixon reviewed tho subject of he
vicious tendencies Of a certain cla1s If
American newspapers He said:
There are 10 be found black sheep in
nearly every fold. So American Jour
nalism has it's Black Cat. The animal
seems to have grown in size Of late.
The unusual amount of rich ofIal seized
by it as food in the anomalous temporary
developments Of our political and social
life doubtless accounts Or this growth.
The development of such a rnonstroeItv
ls serious and interesting fact
The position of an editor Of news
paper Of today is as solemn a trust as
that Of. minister Of the Gospel. The
press, In fact, has absorbed many of the
functions of the minister of religion.
The responsibilities of such a position
are greater because the number of lives
directly effected is greater He has
the power to poison the minds and un-
nerve the arms of tens of thousands
daily with hatred, lies, ISLANDERS and ap-
peals to the basest instincts Of the an
imal, or to lift the world from the slunn-
Der of the night to the duties of new
day in the arms of love, truth, courage,
hope and faith.
THE MODERN JUDAS.
There is no man of modern times who
speaks with such supreme power as he
who dictates the management of a great
newspaper The secret of the power to
bless or the power to damn the life of
man is his.
he is the minister of the most high
God charged with keeping the sacred
fires of truth burning along the worlds
highways that sweep through darkness
into the infinite and eternal.
He who betrays this solemn trust is
the Judas Iscariot OF. modern tunes.
For, charged with the life of those to
whom he ministers, he betrays limo
cence and weakness for the sake Of filthy
gain. Charged with protecting the
wayfarer, he is the friend of highway
man and assassin.
wish we could say that no such paper
throws its accursed shadows across our
o0A4 44Cs DuG "0 Idfo k1itIl. w - CST-
tainly have at least one conspicuous ex-
ample in New York, and there are many
smaller lights that trim their lamps by
its standards. 1t is the evil genius In
fact that, with its single red eye, has
thrown its spell over thousands of
bright minds. What are the simple
facts in the history of this journal W hich
finds its way even into many Christian
homes in our midst2 It is a great daily
Police Gazette. Crime, SANDER, scandal
and criminal "sport" are the staple
These fill the choicest positions. The
record of prize fight takes precedence
over the words of any statesman or phi
lanthropist.
THE FRIEND OF CRIME.
This paper poses as the exponent of
civic and political virtue. The record
of it's columns shows that it has been
the friend and public champion of near
ly every great thief and scoundrel who
has figured in the disgrace of New York
during the past generation. 1t even pro
posed to canoniZe its ideal statesman
William NJ. Tweed, before his death.
But Mr.. Tweed left his country for his
country's good before they had time to
make the cast of his image for the ped
c.,tal.
During this period it has sought to
assassinate the character of every great
man, upon whose success its malignant
eye has rested, if it dared. And there
are but few things in this line it has not
dared. The greatest compliment ever
paid distinguished president of the
United States is that this editor hates
him so intensely that he publicly curses
him every day in the year. Future
generations, therefore, even more than
his own, will Glove him for the enemies
he has made" To be praised by such &
power is to be damned. To be cursed
and slandered by it is a sure index tC
honesty, integrity, worth, manhood.
AN INTELLECTUAL PROSTITUTE.
1t poses as the friend of the working
man, and in every battle for life and
progress it is found ON the side Of the
strong against the weak. It is the sell
styled defender Of womanhood, and YET
fills its news columns with such unutter
able filth that no decent woman car
touch it without contamination.
It's news is gathered with consummate
skill and edited with unquestioned
genius. 1t is therefore the most bril-
liant example we have of shameless
intellectual prostitute.
1t has much to saigon religion. Il
champions ultra-orthodoxy, knowing
that it's readers have long since aban
doned such positions, hoping thus to dc
stroy the faith of man and deceive ths
| feeble minded.
| A BRILLIANT SUNFLOWER.
1t studies the brightest dreams OF tht
social and religious reformer, that will
the hot breath of nateriaEsm it MAY
blast every aspiration Of man for large,
and fuller life.
In other words, to change the figure
it is the most brilliant sUN-dowe
that blossoms today in the dunt
heap of modern civilization. Its colo
is as gorgeous as its perfume
fetid. It's roots take hold upon the sa
loon, the gambling hell, the dive, tn
brothel, and from them draws their rich
est life. When the streets and sewers o
our civic life are flushed with pure waite
it will disappear with the filth from
which it sprang.
It is unnecessary to mention the nam
of this paper. If you have ever seen
you will recognize it from this descrir
ton. If you have never seen it you ar
fortunate, and have no desire to intrv
duce you to vice.
Suffice it to say, Christian men an
women, you should no more take such
sheet into your home than you woul
tear the fostering rags from the dea
body of a leper and wrap them aroun
the body of a newborn babe.
WHY WE KNOW THAT JESUS RIOS
FROM THE DEAD.