The herald., 1893-11-21
NEWSPAPER INsINCERITY.

| The HERALD thinks that it is emf.
nently proper that newspaper should
have we'll defined views and should
fearlesaly express them. The right of
honest criticism is the very essence of a
journal which has any claim to the re-
| spect OF its readers. But the expression
OF its views should be outright and man
ly. Polonius suggests to Laertes. when
the latter starts out on his travels, that
it is sometimes we'll "by indirections to
find directions out" We do not believe
in this finesse. The frank and manly
way is the only right method in news
papering, Ss in all the affairs of life.
Saturdays editorial columns of our
San Francisco contemporary contained
as fair An example of the disingenuou
as could we'll be found anywhere. In an
article headed "Rumors about Mr..
Cleveland" it makes the visit OF the
president to New York, accompanied by
his friend Secretary of War Lamont, the
occasion Of half column of surmises as
to whether or no the nations chief mag
istrste is really engaged in speculation,
with hints at large losses sustained by
him in Chicago gas stock. 1t then ex-
presses the following hypocritical hope:
For the honor OF the nation and for
the credit of MIR. Cleveland, we sincerely
trust that these rumors have no founda-
ton whatever. But he should not be
content with mere denial OF the stor-
les. He should go comport himself in
his relations with the business world
and in his going and coming as not to
give rise to such rumors. His purchase
during his first term OF real estate near
Washington on an avowed speculation
has been unpleasantly commented upon
and his recent close personal relations
with e. G. Bennett, who is known to be
a heavy operator, has not served to pre-
pare the public mind against accepting
the stories OF his speculations and losses.
Now any person OF sense knows that
the Chronicle trusts" nothing of the
kind. Its sole purpose in writing the
half column from which we quote was
to create the impression that the pres
ident was engaged in stock kjobbing up to
his ears, and the 'live paper" would
be very sorry indeed to be convinced, or.
rather, to see the people convinced,
that there was nothing in what has no
basis whatever except the statement OF
some irresponsible newspaper man.
Why not be honest about it and drop
the intolerable hypocrisy of I'VE trust
it is not so," at the same time that all
possible circumstance and detail are
accumulated to create the impression
that the head OF great nation has
sought to use his position to make
money? Mark the insidious association
of the stockbroker, Mr.. E. Q. Benedict,
with the name OF the president, un-
doubtedly with the view OF clinching
the evidence that Mr.. Cleveland is dab.
bling in the New York stock exchange.
To put the real purpose and hope of
the Chronicle beyond peradventure, we
take from another portion OF its edi-
torial columns the following:
Grover Cleveland is in bad business
if he is up to his eyes in stocks, as rep
resented by conservative Washington
newspaper. The fact that be dabbles
in speculative securities may explain
much of the mysterious regard he has
for the people who control the fortunes
of Wall street.
Here all pretence is dropped, and the
president is represented as ''up to his
eyes in stocks."
Now ii the Chronicle believes this why
does it not come boldly out and cay 60?
1t admits that all these rumors have
emsnated from the Washington Star,
which it charscterizes as a conservative
paper. On the contrary, it knows that
that journal is never 30 happy as when
it has manufactured some prodigous
roorback, and finds the Associated Press
complainant enough to telegraph it to
the four corners of the earth. When
the Chronicle shall prove itself fair in
any matter pertaining to politics the
leopard will lose his spots.