Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-07-28
DEsPIuABLE JOURNALISM.

DEsPIUABLE JOURNALISM.
After all due allowance Ia made ior
the heated partisan feeling that has eN.
listed OF times IN Utah "since division
came, " and after granting the wldcst
permissible margin within which par.
tisan newspapers may ba permitted to
assAil an opponent, the fact remains
that our new State has been till iciod
more OF less by species Of journalism
which l. utterly deapioable. The kind
Of journalism hero referred 10 10
encouraged In this commonwealth
by the existence Of conditions In Il
which are peculiar In the opportunities
they afford for tho exercise Of the Sin.
ister talents OF the class Of writer's
indicated.
In mssl counties In Utah, from
causes not necessary TO ouumetaie
here, II 30 happens that the men who
lead In business, social ana political
circles generally occupy more OF lees
prominent eceloslaslIoal positions, and
any activity they may show In
opposing a political organization
or candidate leads 10 their
being Nssailod, In the columns OF the
journals referred to, In an eeoleslaH,i-
cal or other private or personal capac.
ity. Their Church relations, their
business concerns, and their private,
personal or family affairs are dragged
into tho controversy ana pArad0d In
print, coupled with dls,orllons Of their
words and Misrepresentation Of facts
that disgust intelligent people who love
truth aud Justice.
An instance In point; Somo weeks
since a gentleman holding prominent
Church position delivered an address OF
from ton 10 fifteen minutes duration on
a Sabbath day, and before n religious
gathering. This gentleman had prevl.
ouily Interested himself to limited
extent In political Affairs, aud had
thereby Incurred tho hostility OF a
certain sheet published In his county.
Incidental to his address he made some
remarks which had no reference TO
politics ut all, but to his astonishment
tho sheet referred TO gave them q
political Interpretation, and violently
aud yindiotlvely asssilod tho speaker
In consequence Of them.
The malice Of tho paper went 20 fur
s to atIemp, TO show that business
establishment with which tho speaker
was connected suffered loss OF pat
ronAgo because Of his association with
H., the object OF this misrepresentation
Of fact being Gully too plainly visible.
Numerous other prominent gentlemen
have received similar treatment from
the same source. II has made persistent
efforts to destroy rospecl Tor anu conf.
deHce IN them, In every relation In
life, aud particularly TO weaken their
influence In Church work.
In no civilized community can this
style Of journalism escape the cou.
tempt anu deIeslation Of right think.
ing people. II defles the ethics Of the
profession, violates public policy, an.
tagoniEes true morality, and IL sub.
yerslve Of ali that Is good aud true.
The NEWS has no objection 10 the
legitimate criticism Of 40. man who
lakoe an active part In p,Iitlcs, even
though he DO prominent ccciesias,luaI
ohlosr He cannot enter that field
without opposing others, and no mus,
expect opposition In return. When he
makes public his political viows, he by
that got Invites public scrutiny OF
them' Butall THIS dots not Justify the
mendAcious seurTility Tesorted to by the
sheet referred to, aud others Of It's lIk.
Decent newspaper writers, however
strongly partisan and eager to defeat
an opponent, recognize that they ore
forbidden by the law Of their proies.
sion, q drag into political oontru.
yofsy bis private business sr employ.
mont, his family ntlhirs, or the altar a.
which no worshipE The threshnold OF
his home aud the door OF thu
nanciuary bar their pursuit. Of him,
though In the political arena thoy
may Eight him with de,oim ned vigor.
A. with lave, 10 with newspaper.
II rests with 1hu people to de,rrmin
the Kind thoy viii have. Auiaswl.H
evils resulting from bad lave, 20 with
those due TO BAD newspaper the
remedy resta with the oople. l ,hoy
like meudact ~ aud sguuuity, there
will be found scrlb0lurs who will mr
nish that sort OF intellectual pabulum.
But II they dtmRal uecpuoy aud
honor on tho part Of tho publications
they support, they can have % press OF
elevated tone.
lnthis connection the NEWS reminds
heads OF families among tue Lat.
'sr'uey sAinia OF a duty thai