Middletown transcript., 1895-08-17
AMENITIES OF JOURNALISM.

Are you not afraid OF speaking s.
plainly in your paper of giving da.
and date; naming person and place
and all the circumstances of matter
SO Interestingly and yet so pointed,
stated in your editorial columnspo in
quires a distant friend. afraid" O
what Of course physical harm il
not referred to. "Afraid" of losing il
popularity ? of driving away custom
Yes, perhaps; but does the faithful
preacher of the gospel cease to rebukt
sin because perchance he may hurt the
feelings Of the sinner The TRAN.
SCRIPT is not preaching the gospel oi
Christ, or not directly, but its chief
desire is to proclaim the truth, and
nothing but The truth. 1t freely gives
to others all that it asks for itself,
liberty to hold and proclaim honest
views which it believes will promote
the general good. The TRANSCRIPT
does not hold that it is always right and
those opposed to it are ever in the
wrong, but it does hold that truth is
not afraid of the light, runs not away
from 8 public discussion, and it is the
day light of popular evidence that the
TRANSCRIPT seeks.
AS to the method, that is somewhat
matter of choice, but the preacher
who does not say occasionally, face to
face with the offender, "thou art the
man." will never accomplish much for
his Master, though hemay gain popular
applause because of his smooth SEN
tences.and polite preaching. And the
newspaper that denounces crime and
rascality in general terms, suffering
the offenders within its special territory
to escape merited chastisement, can
not properly serve the public, though
it may fill it's own Golfers and grow
wealthy by its indulgence. 1t is often
a matter of choice between duty, when
conscience has not been hardened, and
selfish gain, and yielding to the latter
the recipient grows wealthy while the
public is feeced. The conscienceless
newspaper, the paper whose editorial
opinions are for sale either for filthy
lucre or for party Office, is an abiding
evil in any community. The paper
governed by patronage in what it says
or fails to say, is not far behind the
others in its harmful influence. To
wards such papers what shall be the
attitude of the honest, independent |
press? To answer in a word, the
TRANSCRIPT would say, tell the truth,
the whole truth, and tell it plainly,
giving time and place, and person and
These reflections apply more parti-
cularly to the large city dailies rather
han to the country weeklies, but that
which is true of one in its wider field
S true of the other in it's more limited |
'phere. We do not believe in denounc-
ng a community when only certain
Eell-knoWn individuals of the COM
nunity are the Offenders. Nor do we
'elieve in railing against party when
certain well-knoWn leaders of the
party only are guilty. 1t is a wrong
o the community and to the party. OF
he latter offence we think the most of
'ur Peninsula contemporaries may be
harged. We do not mean to set in
Judgment upon them but have had
ccasion to call attention to these mat
ers in particular instances. Especially
> this true of our esteemed contem-
oraries, the EUery Erening and Ne,o
era, in their partisan attitude upon
bribery" and their failure to take
ides with the tax payers against the
ayment of the special constables.
lain words have been spoken, as the
ccasions demanded plain speaking, but
has all been without personal feeling
n the part of the TRANSCRIPT, and
hen an opportunity to commend the
'cery Evening for its liberality toward {
le unfortunate victims of the sup l
osed mad-dog offered itself, it was
lost cheerfully embraced. The TRANS {
RIPT's commendation should not oc- a
lsion surprise from its standpoint. 1t
slieves in justice. When its neigh t
Or is right it approves, and when its
sighbor is wrong and is doing the I
'untry a wrong by promulgating \
roneous views, the TRANSCRIPT t
ust condemn. 1t is not a personal
cling but a public duty, and the Y
litor may condemn the course of &
n-temporary while he appreciates p
g good qualities Of its editor. To 4