The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-01-05
PROVO CITY. JAN. 5. 1884
NEWSPAPER PRIVILEGES.

Under our laws the freedom of the
press has been wisely guaranteed; the
courts have always held that the full
est and freest discussions might be had
on all questions relating to or affecting
in any manner the public veal. But
on the other hand it was never in
tended by the makers of our laws or by
the courts, that this wholesome free
dom of the press should degenerate
into license. The law shas with equal
wisdom defined what Is freedom and
what is Incense, what are the rights of
the citizen and what the liberty of the
press consists Of Where crime has
been committed the press becomes the
aveDger, as it is oftsn the prosecutor of
evil doers and it is ,notoriously true
that the newspapers are the best, truest
and surest detectives, Woe be the
man who outrages law if the papers
once open on his trail, Detection, con-
viction and punishment become mat
tiers of mere time, and that of the
briefest. 1t is true also that the news
papers often guide and control conven-
tions, elections, legislatures, governors
and presidents. In this work the law
permits a wide freedom of action be.
cause, however virulent their attacks
are upon persons the causes can be
I traced to sincere desire to protect the
people from this or that threatened
EVIL or to confer this or that promised
good.
But the law nor the practice contem-
plates the pursuit of ind viduals simply
from motives of hatred envy. jealonsely
or the like. 1t is recognized fact that
q simple newspaper, no, matter how
poor or obscure it may be, is more than
a match for any one individual. He
talks to but limited num-
Der of people, it, to thousands and
every day too. While this is great
advantage to the paper, yet it is |
coupled with great responsibilities.
He is no brave or generous man who,
having control of a newspaper, pur-
sues or persecutes his enemy who has
none. Even when an individual fills |
a public Office the newspaper must be
careful how it attacks him. 1t must |
be sure of its facts and when these are
all safe and sure, even then it must not
attack his character outside of the de-
reflections charged. In other words
outside of matters connected with the
specific charge it brings. Unfortu
nately we have thugs, bullies,s assas-
sins, liars and thieves In Journalism at
times. These men do not hesitate to
impale gentleman who ofends them
and without rhyme or reason blacken
his good name, destroy his character,
drive him to suicide. into bankruptcy
and dispair, wound his wife and child
ren, friends and neighbors simply to
crafty their own often misplaced
hatred. The law does not justify, ex-
cuse or palliate such offenses; nay, it
Furnishes them. and severely, too.
The conscientious journalist, who !
seeks to make bis business q success
by all honest means, yet uses his op- !
portunities to do good often unself-
ishlY. Strange as it may seem to many,
yet we have known journalism to pro-
duce men of the loftiest virtues, ex-
alted ratriotism tho n1resf roorale ond
Of the most unsel6sh devotion to the :
good of their fellow men. While this q
is true, on the other hand, we have {
known men, who, for their own pri- :
Yate ends, do not hesitate to drag
1own, persecute, and destroy others,
BRING their town or city into disrepute
ind place an indeleble stigma upon the
community in which they live. Two =
many newspapers forget that men are o