The morning call., 1893-10-30
ALL WANT REFORM
DR.. Williams breaches on
Press Purity.
HE DEGREES PERSONALITIES.
Saws That Men of All Creeds Are
One in the Demand for Less
Sensationalism.

The 10Th of November is the day selected
for simultaneous delivery of sermons
upon the subject of press purity.
Rev. w. d. Williams. DID,. pastor of
Plymouth Congregational Church, pre-
ferred. however, for personal reasons. TO
preach last evening upon "Our City News
papers"
The women of this State" be said.
shave entered into mild and womaniy
crusade for the purity of the press. They
have sought the assistance of the minis
ters, as they certainly had right to do"
The doctor went on to state the neces-
sity for discrimination in criticizing the
movement. "There are people" he stated.
"who have but one idea-it may be a
secular or religious one, but they press it
because that idea is the only one they
possess But these ladies are not OF that
class They are among the most intelll-
gent, among the most refined and g0dly OF
our community. Their movement has.
moreover, assumed large proportions; 1t
has extended far beyond the limits OF our
bay Cities"
Speaking OF the dimensions of the ques-
ton involved, DR.. Williams said 1t might
to some extent be judged by The immense
increase in newspapers during the last
eighty years. In 1910 the entire country
contained less papers than does the State
of California to-day. And every paper
wields a power, assumes MISSION, he
added.
81 hear that in France its power comes
from the CLIQUE it represents, liz Germany
from the ideas il promulgates; but In
England and America II Is the voice OF
the people. The energy OF our metro
politan press commands respect. The TACT
that we have one country, one constltu-
ton. one destiny, is largely owing to the
press. 1t Wields a power and potency
that increase with the progress of the
human race.
''But in spite of this energy and power the
evils in our modern press are too marked
10 be anything but apparent. We some
times find rancor and injustice, truthlesS
ISLANDERS and IN worthy personalities.
The things that these good mothers and
sisters are laboring against especially are
the immoral details of crimes and the pub
lication of advertisements which should
have no place in the papers"
The doctor then stated hiss belief that,
comparing the papers of to-day with those
of twenty-five years ago, column by col
umn, they would De found TO be purer and
better and added a hope that the improve
ment would continue.
when a paper. however, permits itself
to become Spectacles TO view humanity al
it's worst, it deserves TO be condemned.
The newspaper in its power sways re-
publics, moves thrones and governs realms.
Great newspapers have power over US lD-
divdualy. The press has a mission as
well as a power, but it is an impersOnal
one, a mission for the municipality, for the
town and hamlet, but not personal mis-
sion. a paper ought not to mete out JUS
tice, to decide the cases that belong to
courts, any more than minister ought to
sit on the bench. The newspaper is al
educator that should always support right
and morality.
Sometimes it is said a newspaper will
give the public what the public wants. |
do not believe this. l believe the best
newspapers have as much unselfshness as
the average human being. They work for
power and influence. but not always at the
expense of the best interests of the COM
nunity. No newspaper is as bad as the
worst things that are in it. No news
paper is as good as the best things that
are in it. 1t should be judged by the
average.
"The movement just now before Us gives
promise of being effectual. We do not for
a moment suppose il will bring in such a
measure Of reform as will expunge all that
is objections Bile. But it would at least
mitigate some things that our community
has long borne ins ileEce-silence that was
imposed by an agony and disgust too deep
for utteTance.
"All reforms are brought about by
streams that may seem small but that in
time prove to be effective.
I'VE do not expect the papers to become
religious, but we do desire and pray that
they may become moral and pure and
just. Whatever may be the differences
between men in their religious views, they
are one in their unity of desire for the
nrf4 rof 2 ha ~