Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-03-28
\ Useful Mirror of Life.

Again, "a good newspaper is useful
mirror Of life rs it is II is sometimes
complained that newspapers report the
evil when thew ought only 10 report the
good. They must report the evil rs well
Us the good, or how shall we know what Is
o. he reformed, what guarded against,
what fought down; y newspaper that
pictures only the honesty and virtue OF So
ciety Is "A misrepresentation. That family
Is best prepared for the duties Of life which,
knowing the evil. Is taught To select the
good. Keep children under the impression
THAI all j. fair and right In the world, and
when they 90 out into IL they will be as
poorly prepared to struggle with 1t rs
child who i thrown into the middle OF the
Atlantic and told to learn how To swim.
our only complaint is when sin Is made
attractive and morality dull, when vice Is
painted with great headings and good
deeds are put In obscure corners, iniquity
set up in great primer and righteousness
in nonparcii. sin Is loaihsome; make Il
loathcsomc Virtue is beautiful; make IL
beautiful.
1t would work vast Improvement If
all our paprrs-rclil ious, political. literary
should for the most part drop their i'm
personality. This would do better Justice
to newspaper writers Many Of the strun-
gcSt and best writers Of the country live and
die unknown and are denied their just
fame The vast public never learns who
they are. Most of them are on comparative
small income, and after awhile their hand
forgets its cunning, and they are without
resources, left To die. Why not at least
have his initial attached tn his most inn
portant work: 1t always gnve additional
I'll.
saw added to some significant article in
the old New York Courier and Enquirer
j. W. W. or in The Tribune H. e.. ar in
The Herald j. q. b., or in The Times II.
J. r., or in The Evening Post ". {. b.,
or in The Evening Express f.. b.
While this arrangement would be u fair
and just thing for newspaper writers 1t
would lie defense for the public 1t is
sometimes true that things damaging 10
private character are said. Who is rcspon-
sihles Ii IS the we" Of the editorial or
reporturial columns Every man in every
profession or occupation ought Ia be re
spunSihie for what hc does NJ honorable
man Will ever write that which lac would
hc afraid 10 sign But thousands OF per
sons have suffered from the impcrsonllity
of newspapers. What can one private cit
i2en wronEci in his reputation do in
contest with misrepresentation multiplied
into ~, u0o or 80, 600 copies: An injustice
done in print is illmitahly worse than an
injustice done in private life. During loss
Of temper man may say that for which
he will he sorry in ten minutes. hut
newspaper injustice has first To- be written,
So; up in type, then the proof taken of
and read and corrected, and then for six
or ten hours the presses are busy running
off the issue. Plenty of time To correct;
plenty of time Ia cool of; plenty of time
to repent, But all that is hidden in the
impcrs0nality Of II newspaper. 1t will be
"a long step forward when all is changed
and newspaper writers get credit for the
good and are held responsible for tho evil.
Editorial Professors.
Another step forward for newspapcrdom
will be when in our colleges and UNIVERSE
ties We open opportunities for preparing
candidates for the editorial chair We
have in such institutions medical depart
mcut~, law departments. Why not obi
turial dcpartmuntsl DO the legal and
healing professions demand more culture
and careful training than the editorial or
Tcportorial prnfcSsinnSt | know men may
tumble by what seems accident into a
newspaper Office rs they may tumble into
uthcf Occupations. nut IL would DE AN in
calculahlc advantage II those proposing "a
newspaper life had an institution Ia which
they might 90 To learn the qualifications.
the responsibilities, the trials. the tcnpta-
tiuns. the dangers, the magnificent uppor-
tunitics, Of newspaper life. Let there be u
lectureship in which there shall appear the
leading editors of the United states telling
the story Of their struggles, their victories.
their mistakes, how they worked and what
they found out To be the best way uf work.
ing. There will be- strong men who will
climb up without such aid into editorial
power and efficiency. so do mon climb
up To success in other branches by sheer
grit But II we want learned institutions
To make lawyers and artists and doctors
and ministers we much more need learned
institutions to make editors. who occupy
position Of influence "a hundrcdfold great.
er. do not put tho truth too strongly
when | Say the most potent influence for
good on earth is u good editor, and the
most potent influence for evil Is "a bad one.
The best way to ro-onforcc and improve
the newspaper is Ia endow editorial pro-
fcssuratuS. When will Princeton or liar