Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-31
Judging for the People.

representative republicans through
out this campaign to assume to
judge for the American people as to
what is best for them. The spirit of
Mark Hannaism has been dictatorial
in the extreme, but the most start
ling exposition Of the spirit of re-
publican impudence is furnished by
the editor of the New York Evening
Post. who has refused steadfastly 10
publish any of Bryan's speeches. In
his explanation of such course the
Post editor insults the readers of his
paper by assuming to be the judge of
what they should read, not only as
news, but as far as the effect of such
current information may be upon
them, and by boldly announcing
the policy Of the journal to protect
its readers from lnsidious doctrine.
alt is the business OF an editor" it
says, Ito keep a strict watch on its
columns and let nothing in which he
thinks will work mischief, either
social or political" Continuing. the
Post says:
The objections to reproducing
populistic literature, except for the
purpose of making its refutstion
more effective. are two in number.
1t is irrational and immoral. 1t is
irrational because in politics IRA.
tional means that thing is con.
demned by all human experience
that is. has been condemned BY both
experiment and observation.
To sum up. the reason why we are
not willing freely to admit Bryan.
ties to our columns, is that we be.
lieve their platform to be. from tor
to bottom. irrational, immoral and
anarchistic."
Was ever anything more prepos.
ferrous! Did any such doctrine ever
emanate before from the sanctum OF
newspaper published under the
freedom Of thought guaranteed by
the constitution! Such bosh NIGH,
have been received without amaze
ment had it come from the Union
of this city, but from great paper
which is supposed to appeal to in
telligence, it is simply Incompetent
sible. 1t is perfectly proper that s
paper should judge as to the charac
ter of certain news and that it,
editor may in publishing news give
his opinion either condemnatory oil
approvingly of the nature of the
news, but to assume to withhold thu
utterances of a man with the follow
ing that Mr.. Bryan has, recognized
as the leader of great party and
the honest exponent of q great prin.
ciple, is un-American. AS the Chi
cago Record we'll says in comment.
ing on the Posts radical position
alt would seem that the suggestion
that the people of this country b,
permitted to consider only such re
forms as meet with the approval o
the editors needs but to be stated t,
show its weakness. The great ma
jority Of the editors of the country
would rebel at having such RESPONSE
bility thrust upon them. Much les'
would they wish to seize upon thi
as prerogative. To deny the POST
position does not mean that an edi
tor must print everything that i.
offered him. In fact it is his dut,
to his readers to throw into tn,
waste basket the inconseauentia
vaporings of individuals that con
tinually come into his hands. 1t il
also his duty to refuse to publish
what is immoral or to give room t.
mere appeals to passion and hate
But there are q great many thing,
to which a newspaper ought to Civ,
room in its news columns that i,
cannot indorse editoriaily. In al
political campaigns even the mos
partisan press should give in it
news columns a statement of tn,
views OF opponents. These view,
may be condemned as immoral, bu
IL the readers are to pass judgmen
upon them at the polls they have ,
right to a statement of them, 50 the,
may judge for themselves. 1t i
worse than puerile for a paper tc
refuse to publish for the enlighten
ment o! its readers the views he'll,
by political organization on tn,
ground that they are immoral. Tha
is the point upon which the peopl
are to pass Judgment. When tb
voters cannot be trusted to CHI oos
right from wrong the attempt {,
maintain free government nigh
as we'll be given up. 1t is vel
Ieuouch to Law doWn the nrin~;.,