The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-05-05
MORAL SIDE OF THE NEWSPAPER.
AN INTERESTING PAPER FROM "A
PREACHER AND EDITOR.
Some Reasons Controlling Newspa-
pers the Wrong Way-The Power
and Responsibility OF the Press.

Some Reasons Controlling Newspa
pers the Wrong Way-The Powe
and Responsibility Of the Press.
The following address on Z" Th
Moral Side of the Newspaper" was de
llvered before the annual meeting o
the State Press Association by Rev
w. Z. Jacobs, of Clinton:
Every paper has moral side. Som,
unfortunately an immoral side always
Occasionally it is the patent outside
that is immoral in news notes and ads
and sometimes the not so patent inside
The writer on one occasion advertised
q horse race in his patent outside anG
apologized for it on his inside.
But, after all, the question of the
morality or immortality of paper cir
cuiates about the personality of its
editors. All editors are not pious men
Some few (very few get drunk after
| the paper has gone to press, and then
| invoke all the adjectiveness of their
dictionaries, versus drinkirg, in their
next issue. We know an editor, who
wrote, 81 was on jag last week.
I'm sorry. The public will please
excuse the imperfection of our make
up that week, as we were quite locked
up" so he was.
AS q rule editors are the best inform
ed people in the community. Unfor-
tunately no man can know everything.
That accounts for the terrible mis-.
takes made in writing up church do
ings. Preachers laugh at these things,
but the editor can't see the joke. Still
the editor might be splendid "eccle-
siastical reporter" and yet not run q
mora paper. A preacher sometimes
1lls fine pulpit, and had better not
be there.
If the "moral man" of the newspa-
per is always its editor, the moral side
OF newspaper must necessarily be the
view the editor takes of all the higher
interests of the community in which
he lives.
Now, his views on moral subjects are
very apt to be warped by several con-
siderations.
1st. His own lack of q clear-cut in
ception OF moral duty. A man that
lies will lie in print. A slanderer
takes pleasure in 'sharp, keen, Incl
sive vituperation." A wild, reckless
editor may write heightened discourses
occasionally, aping the goodness he
ne has not, but the rule will be the
other way.
2. Pecuniary considerations are often
all powerful. Vile ads are printed
because they pay. The bulk of any
community is disposed to sensational
ism, and hence vile things are often
reported in full. How can a man take
clear-cut ecclesiastical views, for
instance, as to Sunday editions of his
paper, II the Sunday edition is the
best paying one of the week.
Sd. Fear often has great deal to do
with an EDITORS work. He does not
wish to lose subscribers at any time,
and hence even the mad fury of
lynching bee may be condoned, or at
least not very severely dealt with, so
many patrons having a quasi connec-
tion with it-not indeed that editors
are alone in this. They perhaps but
reflect the tone of the community.
4th. Politics largely affect the views
an editor takes on many moral ques-
tions, notably that of prohibition or its
correlative, the dispensary. Parry
lash is a powerful incentive to an edi-
tor to keep the straight and narrow
path" of political duty. We recently
heard Judge Cothran remark that
he never knew minister who
became a lawyer to honor his profess
sion, but per contra, q lawyer who
entered the ministry was always an
ornament to it. However that may be,
we can say that religious paper that
enters the political arena is always
unreliable, but that u political paper
with strong moral and religious prin-
ciples is reliable and honorable
power in the community.
Other forces, of course, operate on
the editor, as many winds on the sail,
to trim it this way and that. But Il
few considerations deserve thought
just here.
l. A newspaper is the most powerful
agent in any community for good or
i'll. The preacher only reaches the
church going, and the teacher the
young. The editors reach everybody.
Moreover there is certain latent
force in "cold type" with multitudes,
especially of the half-learned, that
nothing else has. Who has not heard
the vulgarism, 81 seen it in the pa
per-" as an end OF all argument. The
editors tripod is the grandest pulpit in
the universe. Crowned heads have
found it needful to bow before the re-
portcr's pen. Think OF one great news
paper sending forth half million
issues daily-its editorials read prob
ably by twice that number of persons.
So great is this power that we venture
the assertion that were all the papers
of this country to agree to plunge this
country into war with Europe, and
to persist in it within q week the thing
could he accomplished
2. Power always entails RESPONSE
bility. Newspapers, therefore, ought
to have highly developed consciences.
Instead of being weathercocks instead
even of being leaders, they should
have always at heart the supremest
good of the community, and should
preserve it, regardless Of money con-
siderations, political influence or sell
fish schemes. lndependency in politics
or religion may be an error, but the
man who declares himself independent
of his own selishness and persists in a
course of right, as straight as an ar
row, will be always the trusted and
hOnored leader.
In the present State of South Caro-
lima social order, there are many points
deserving careful study in the sane
tum as to the course to be pursued.
We think that we can point with q
just pride to the columns of our State
press, and challenge comparison with
others, AZ to their generally high
moral tone. The greater crimes are
duly chastsed. Our editors, almost to
q man, hate meanness and love fair,
open dealing. While q few offend
| against the laws of courtesy, the great
| majority of our editors are gentlemen
as well in print as out OF il. Even
political antagonists are given & how
| OF fairness. The church work OF every
community Is fully and duly reported,