The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-17

integrity, culture and ambition. He re-
who spend their lives under the strain OF
the cry for more copy" who are going
down to early graves because of miserable
stipends-going TO hand In their last copy,
which will be better appreciated than it has
been by the public.
w know, however," continued Mr..
Christensen. that the influence of the news
paper is not so good as Ii might be, not
20 good as IL should be. and not so good as
We nave reason 10 demand that IL snail
be. When one lie Is told 1t circulates among
perhaps a score of persons and works evil
In a comparatively small field, but one lie
pnplisned In a newspaper gives life TO 5000
Mr.. Christensen referred to the newspapers
which existed and thrived during the war.
He referred to that class of papers which
gave room to false accounts Of battles for
the purpose, of selling papers Anxious
read these papers, and the country was kept
In a fever of excitement, all for the sake
of a few paltry doiiars and cents. Mr..
pers. and. he said, 1t Is enough to make a
decent man blush to consider that each
base fabricati0ns.
Mr.. Christensen asked his readers to recall
accounts of political meetings as published
IN tae journal. and then remember II they
lished OF the same meetings. That men of
honesty and integrity should be assaulted at
such a time because of politics was branded
from accepting of public office.
There Is no reason" said Mr.. Christensen,
at every election on men who stand above
reproach. The bad newspaper does not
pubiished in this cittV three neeg Iiness sTn efling ~a af
a series of lectures being given by a noted
thinker of the day, while three columns APP
peared in the same issue devoted to the re-
Voting incidents of an atrocious murder.
That Is about the proportion in which good
and bad news appears in the papers to-day
vi r v hAn L. g.. -.--A~1
that editors would say in answer to him that
the public demands such news as is pub
nshed. That an editor would say. IF the
public would demand 1T we would give three
columns to John Fiske and his lectures and
three columns to the Pearl Bryan case"
The editor was also imagined to say: 1--WE
are not here to teach morals. but to give
the public what it wants"
And 1 imagine" continued Mr.. Carsten-
sen, that newspaper men would answer me
by saying. L suppose the preachers know
all about the business They set themselves
up as directors or censors of the press
III PREACHERS RETALIATE.
Mr.. Christensen said the newspapers tell
the preachers what and how they should
preach and the pulpit claims the right to
give some suggestions to the newspapers.
A comparison was made between James
Gordon Bennett and George w. Childs,
much to the disadvantage of the former.
The New York Herald was declared a
stencil on the city where it is published.
although Mr.. Carstensen noted with salts
faction recent Improvement in the paper.
Mr.. Benefits idea was declared to be the
publication OF trash, STUFF that will make
people talk. Mr.. Childs was upheld as a
Christian man, whose idea was that a
had two rule, do what is right and do what
pays. The Philadelphia Ledger was classed
as the greatest paper in the country, be-
so the speaker said. reflects the highest and
best there Is in Philadelphia. The Cincin-
natl Commercial Gazette and the Enquirer
not, In Mr.. Carstensen'S mind, reflect the
best thought Of their respective cities.
Mr.. Christensen then referred to other
alleged sins of the papers. He cited the
case In this city where an account OF a
lecture was published, although the same
paper had previously announced a postpone
ment. The reporters were given a whirl.
Mr. Christensen said reporters enter house
holds and ask questions, which, if asked in
everyday life, would be met by a blow in
the face; The public is coerced and black
mailed into answering questions which
should be met with. lit is none Of your bust.
ness" Family skeletons are held up as
the pubic. So long as the public permits
these things and so long as 1T demands it,
the state OF affairs will exist. Mr.. Carsten-
sen finished by saying it is time for decent
people to max demands on the newspapers
Editors and the managers OF the counting
room should be told that scandals and SEN
s~ational news must not be published. nor
must advertisements which cannot stand
the light be given space. If 100 or 500
people would make such a demand on one
paper, so Mr.. Christensen said, ii will have
an effect.
Closing, Mr.. Christensen addressed himsel!
to the newspaper men. Tn two newspaper
men present did their best to catch the
words. but they came too fast. The scene
was laid on judgment day. Mr.. Carsten-
sen said that on that day, let those newspa.
per writer's present look over the men they
have influenced, and see If had been for the
better or the worse. If II is to be for the
worse, Mr.. Christensen said, IL would be oct
ter for those present TO be in a dungeon.
The sermon was brought to an eloquent
close by the imaginary regrets of a man
who had been plunged downward to de-
struction by what he read in a newspaper,
and an appeal for purity in all things.
Mr.. Carstensen's sermon addressed to the
Press Club was of his own choosing. as nc
Invitation had been extended him by the
| club.