Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-14

George Washington's warning against
partisan bitterness has not been needed by
the people Of tie United States. There
may perhaps be as much Of warmth gener-
ated in some of the intensely fractional
political situations in Europe, but careful
comparison indicates American ability to
hold it's own in composition with the old
world shouters of party battle-cr'es. the
carriers of torches, the blowers of horns,
the singers of campaign melodies. Here
the average democrat is confident that the
republican is foe to the common progress,
while the average republican Is satisfied
that the democrat is utterly unfit to gov
ern. Yet, In the midst Of such surround
ings, the Independent newspaper has
achieved great success. To be sure. thare
are in this country successful journals
which are devoted mainly to the upbuild
Ing of this or that party, but there Is
nothing of upfalrness in the statement that
the governmental or political news which
they print is regarded with more or less
suspicion by readers who are in search of
unaGulterated truth. The party newspaper
sees no harm in presenting to It's rea1ers
stories that are Improperly tinted by par
tisan artists, and in many instances be-
Eeves that it Is doing the public service
by slightly d.storting the facts so as to
make them appear not as they really are,
but as the partisan policy of the news
paper would like to have them. The indie
pendent journal does not stoop to prac-
tees which are much too common
although LEGS common than they were
few years ago-in the Journalism of today.
The Independent newspaper gives to its
readers its honest opinion on all subjects
that may properly be discussed in public
and is actuated by 10 other motive than
that which has in view the welfare of the
patton or the community. To be truly in
dependent 1t is not enough that a news
paper shall be free to critic:se any and all
of the political parties; it must be at liberty
to speak for the people when corporate
scheming endangers the peoples interests;
it must resent any effort to equip 1t with
a muzzle it must be above reproach.
Disc ussing this interesting topic, the Chi
cago Times-Herald says editorially:
1.-The experience of the last twenty years
has shown that with the proverbial exceD-
tons which prove the rule-exceptions
which can be accounted for in every case
either by the strength of an editors per-
sonai equation or peculiar local conditions
the measure of a newspapers independence
has been the measure of its popular ac-
ceptability and consequent pecuniary sue
cess. The New York Herald is a towering
monument TO this theory. The Sun Is an
other The phenomenal prosperity of the
World began with its emancipation from
party thralls and the application of bust
ness methods to every department of its
management. In Philadelphia the Ledger.
in Baltimore the Sun and in Washington
The Star still stand easily first in their re-
spective communities as good newspaper
properties. In Chicago the Record and
Evening News maintain a lead in circula-
ton which its competitors frankly concede.
In Boston the Herald and the Globe bear
witness to the value of independence as an
Investment. Some of these papers lean one
way and some the other in politics, but net
one of them wears the collar of party or
a political boss"
Even the paragraph quoted will prob
ably fail to convince some of those jour
mails which so freely allege independence
but which at times fall lamentably short
of the stature to which they lay claim
that answering uprightness Is financially
profitable; yet such is unquestionably the
fact
The Times-Herald has cast its lot In with
all that is best in American journalism. 1t
announces that:
THE Times Herald few weeks ago took
its place in this vanguard of the great
newspapers of the country, and that place
ii proposes to hold. 1t speaks for the pub
lie interests as interpreted in the light of
the conscience Of its editor. and absolutely
without regard to party fealty or associa-
tions."
The Star hopes and believes that Mr..
Kohlsaat's paper will live up to the high
standard which he has set for It. There
cannot be too many purely Independent
journals in this or any other country.