The morning call., 1893-11-13
A MORAL FOLDER.
No Paper Should Take Delight in the
PORTRAYAL of Vice.

FOi a al Va WIZ
At the Third Congregational Church
Rev. Fred B. Pullen took as text pas
sage from Micah i'll: "Wos to them that
devise lniquity and work evil upon their
beds; when the morning is light they
practice it because it is in the power OF
their hand"
This is one of the warnings Of the weird
prophet Micah, who uttered his appeals
and denunciations in the streets of Jerusa-
lem against the evils of his times" SAID
Mr.. PulIen. 81 accommodate the old
prophets thought and language to this &C.
casiOn when the pulpit is asked to unite
in one combined cry against an evil of
Crelyous and growing proportions, viz.
the pollution of the pages of many daily
papers with printed matter skillfully pre-
pared TO attract attention by its appeal to
the lowest and coareSt elements in human
nature. l make quotations from a reputa-
bic journal of nigh grade TO prove that this
is an existing state of things if proof Sh ould
be necessary.
ut is said in excuse that tina daily paper
must pay for itself and must print what
will be read. 1t must please the public
ana the public is pleased with vileness and
yulgarity. it is also said that the papers
must print the news, and ii the news is
nasty the papers are not at fault. 1t is
also said that vice and vileness are only to
be cleanSed and changed by letting the
purifying light of publicity pour itself
upon them. These things are partly true,
and only true in part. They are no adj
equate reasons for any paper taking evil
clean side of our human life. LIZ a paper
is the mirror Of daily life let it reflect
things in their true proportions and not
distort the good and enlarge the evil. If
the daily press be the map of daily life"
let it hold lis high place of guiding to ''bet-
ter life." 1t should not glory in grimy
things. want to magnify the power and
privilege of the daily press. There are
noble souls in the journalistic sphere.
Types do not shape suggestive sentences
themselves. Reporters do not dip their
pens in gall unless they are forced to dis
cover that scum suits their employers best.
A daily paper is like Ezekieps vision of
winged cherubim and wheels full of eyes
round about, but moved by the spirit of
be seen the form Of mans hand.
Twill the women's plea influence that
moving spirit so that it will use its hand
of power to purify and not pollute the
public thought and imagin nation?
IF twenty thousand signatures TO this
petition would mean twenty thousand SUD-
scripti0ns TO pure daily paper and TO
DOuo Otuoto tUdt mdu uduu WOuIQ n0iQ
it with more attention doubtless The
cash. box of paper has close connection
with its columns. If advertisers of honest
business would insist upon wholesome
tone in so-called news then it would be a
word in season. The daily press is an
educator. 1t is schoolbook. 1t Is
molder of morals. 1t makes the
tone as well as takes the tone of
the times. Oh, ye managers, We editors, We
reporters OF the daily press, magnify
your Office and use your power with high
sense of lis conceded, and gladly conceded.
authority! When you turn the searchlight
upon vice and villainy let it not seem that
you find it so enjoyably delightful. And
turn ON the light. we eDtreat you. wher-
ever 1t is needed in the interests of truth
and morality and public welfare. We
have sometimes suspected you of letting
the light grow dim when you ought to
show it strongest and steadiest."