Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-28
TWO VIEWS OF JOURNALISM.
Bryan's Sneers at the Profession He
Tried to Break Into.

Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Mr.. Bryan declares that the newspapers
are not only disloyal to their convictions
but that they misrepresent public opinion
IL Mr.. Bryan were better Informed he
would know that the newspaper press car
survive, either as a moral force or as a profit.
able business enterprise, only so long as II
truly voices public opinion. 1t is upon
the facts and the deductions therefrom
which the average intelligence and con.
science of the newspapers publish that public
opinion is based, and few outside the news
paper world can fully appreciate the fine
integrity of purpose, the high sense of public
obligation which actuates true journalism in
accurately stating the truth and in com.
menting upon it.
Mr.. Bryan sneers at, denounces as venaI
and subsidized, as false to the truth, as
misrepresentation of public opinion al.
that preponderating body of the newspaper
press which is opposed to his platform and
candidacy. This is the view of I'll Boy
Orator of the Platte"
There was another view of the repre-,
sentative character of the press presented
the other day to the American Bar associa.
ton by a man, one of the greatest dis.
tinction wherever wisdom, learning, judicial
and personal probity are honored, towit
Lord Russell, lord chief justice of England
In his Saratoga address on "Internationa
Arbitration" this eminent jurist and publ,
cist said;
Public opinion is a force which makes
Itself felt in every corner and Granny Of the
world and Is most powerful in the communi-
ties most civilized. In the public press and
in the telegraph it possesses agents by
which its power is concentrated and speedily
brought to bear where there is any public
wrong to be exposed and reprobated. 1t,
year by year, gathers strength as general
enlightenment extends its empire and a
higher moral altitude is attained by man
kind. 1t has no ships of war upon the seas
or armies in the field and yet great poten-
tates tremble before it and humbly bow to
it's rule"
Again, further on in his address, Lord
Russell said:
I'm our own times the desire has spread
and grown strong for peaceful methods for
the settlement of international disputes. The
reason lies on the surface. Men and nations
are more enlightened; the g%rieyous burden
OF military ornaments is sorely felt, and in
these days, when, broadly speaking, the
people are enthroned, their views find free
and forcible expression in a worldwide
press"
Here are two authorities speaking with
reference to the fidelity with which the
newspaper press represents and voices public
opinion, The one is the personally and
politically interested boy Orator. the
other the disinterested, impartial publicist,
the man of mature mind, ripe judgment, the
foremost representative of the British bench,
distinguished. honored throughout the civil
lied world for the courage with which he
has defended the dignity of the law, for the
profundity of his learning, the wisdom of
his thought, his love of justice, his broad
and general public spirit. Mr.. Bryan's harsh,
ineXact criticism of the press must be chart
tably regarded as the folly of unthinking, I'M
schooled youth; Lord Russell's that OF the
wise, experienced statesman, jurist, scholar,
man of affairs.