The times., 1894-04-20
LEGITIMATE PARTY SUPPORT OF
NEWSPAPERS.

LEGITIMATE PARTY SUPPORT OF
NEWSPAPERS.
Paper read by c. s. Osborn, editor Sault Ste.
Marie News, before the meeting of the Mich
| igan Republican Newspaper Association,
| at Owosso, April ls, 1924
Party newspapers are newspapers
that advocate the principles of some
political party as distinguished from
those publications which are neutral or
so-called Independent. A party news
paper simply because it is party
paper may be none the less business
enterprise, unless, perchapce, it is es-
tablished solely as party organ, and
even then those directly back of it hope
to secure enough patronage of a nature
both public and political, to make it a
paying venture Inasmuch as the con-
ditions are not favorable to the exist
ence of party organs in Michigan, the
state has developed great, independ-
ent, fearless, progressive party press.
1t is to the credit of the state and state
journalism that party organs, depend
ing almost entirely upon party pap, are
not only unpopular but well nigh i'm
possible.
To-day in Michigan there is a num-
erous and influential republican press,
ever ready to point out and applaud
the right and just as ready to frown
down and criticise the wrong. 1t is
willing to follow its party to victory or
defeat on lines of approved modern
political methods which must bring the
greatest good to the greatest number,
verinsisting upon as wise and honest an
administration of public affairs, whether
state, county, city or town, as the good
business man would expect and exact
in the management of private affairs
1t is no longer possible to subsidize a
party press and obtain in return cring-
ing subserviency to party managers.
This is the situation in a nutshell as it
confronts us today.
| PROPER PARTY SUPPORT.
1 "
support of such press. The church
calls its minister to the pulpit. 1t does
not own him body and soul, but it ex-
poets from him an intelligent and con-
sistent support of those fundamental
doctrines which are the bulwarks of the
church. In return, the minister expects
a living from those whose belief he
supports The press is not unlike in
this respect, the preacher and the
teacher, any more than it is dissimilar
to them in its other duties. AS they
win recruits to certain doctrinal
thoughts or stamp out ignorance as the
case may be, so the party press seeks to
portray the principles of its party in a
manner calculated to give them that
widest, most impressionable and most
| influential consideration that brings to
its party new recruits continually and
keeps within its party fold those who
are already there and might otherwise
be attracted thence by the sophistries of
the enemy. But the press does not
expect as much as the preacher or the
teacher, while doing quite as much or
more, for those it seeks to honestly
serve. 1t only wants the legitimate
support of its party and does not insist
that that support alone shall suffice to
make it paying enterprise. 1t only
asks the assistance, the friendly aid
the moral support of its party
"That its circulation may be the
wider, and its power for party good in
creased in proportion, 1t asks that every
member of its party be subscriber
This it almost has a right to demand
In fact, the republican press is not ex-
pecting too much when it suggests that
every republican should be solicitor
for his party paper. More than that,
every republican should advertise in and
give his job printing patronage to his
party paper, when circulation, quality
and price are upon an equal footing.
If there is to be any discrimination 1t
should be in favor. every time, of his
party paper For it is in the aggrega-
ton of the support Of individuals of
party, wherein ID found the mainstay of
the party press. Then there Is the
patronage Of the people at large. Gus
tom has made IL q practice Of the party
In power to give all the public patron