The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-25


notice. ] say II requires strong man 10
deal with vice perpetuaIly, either on the
bench, at tho bar or the reporters deok,
and continue to grow In lofty ideals OF
Righteousness The suggestion even on
the mind Of a juoicious man, II that the
whole world is very bad, and the next
thing that suggests itself Is: We may as
well be like them-only we won't be
caught.
Another feature of the newspaper work.
not altogether good, is the incubation OF
ioysny TO the policy OF the ieaa.ng mnna '
icy.may be. In some sorts OF business
the hands alone are employed, and the
employer has no mortgage over the soul
In newspaper work 1 do not deny that
the subordinate may think what ne
pieases, but his thoughts must not crys-
the Ideas of his chief - and every
one has chief In a newspaper ofiice the
editor himself being under the owner,
and owners do not generally profess,
moro is the pity, to be in the newspaper
business as philanthrophy. IL an edi-
tor or subordinate undertakes to be en-
tirely honest I'm his utteraDce, telling the
truth in such just manner as to give q
correct impression to the public, he may
endanger something euphonisitcally called
'tho interest OF the paper" that Is, tPe
ideas of the man in control as TO the
Ii is true that this danger arises In
many kinds OF business. But whenever
found 1t needs solid character to meet IL
and cover it. The question whether 1t Is
right to support opinions not our own
has been long debated, and I'm the case OF
lawyers, it has been conceded that
they have that right, because they are de-
Tending parties whom the mercy OF the
law presumes are innocent. | question
whether the newspaper mans case Is
parallel. At any rate, II is fatal TO the
moral fibre 20 support before the pubic
q cause which we know is morally wrongi
and TO be engaged in writing up things
better left unsaid.-things that appear to
the writer bad In their tendencies, must
be miserable business, eating out what is
best from the character.
Another unfavorablc aspect of journal
ism is that most OF the papers are allied
heart ana soul to party. Some supcrsti-
tion as to the predominant importance OF
party seems TO be ingrained In the leu
tonic spirit. l hope it is the warped
sense OF loyalty TO righteousness. 1t is
something a little short OF patriotism, as
patriotism is little short OF philan-
throphy.
These are some phases of newspaper
mems work and product which we must
meet. How shall they be met? A spirit
that takes into account the difficulties OF
the profession Is an initial necessity. In
ought To give them credit for desire to
state things az they are. III the reporters
twist what you say until you cannot
recognize the child OF your own brain,
don't attribute it TO maliciorsness. They
may have thought they knew what you
meant to say better than you did. They
may have enoeavored, though without
success, to reproduce your words. III you
have never tried ii. you have no concep-
tion how difficult 1t Is to satisfy man
with report OF his own sayings or
doings. / venture very few OF us could
do IT. Men sometimes deny point blank
their own words, anu do ii honestly. In
cold type they don't look right. The rea-
cen is simple-they arn't right. On sub
jects relating to religion the journalist
mas not perhaps been educated with much
care. He can't be omniscient, however
much he may try, and II he IS put on the
track::of the markets, the games. or the
rognes- during the week, and rs called by
| his fellow workers "the deacon" because
he has the churches ON Sunday, don't
expect him to be deacon. Thus we may
avoid cruel disappointment.
The training and work OF newspaper
| man ought to proceed on the principle
that he Is to preach gospel in the world.
| Now the word gospel means not only
| news, but good news. 1t is identical with
| the words of the angel, "good tidings,"
| of great Joy to all people. The newspa-
are in being for the express divine COM
| mission of.carryjng truth. Righteousness
| aud the messages in connection herewith
| to the ends of the earth. The editorial
room, facetio called a sanctum, ought
| TO be that IN fact-a holy piace-a place
| where those things the people need TO
| know are told in words that will make
men hope and struggle after better con-
| dillon OF society. hen our blessed Saviour
sent Dis disciples 70 preach the gospel TO
| the whole creation the divine mind had
| already foreseen the use End mission of a
| daily journal. In presenting to the world
| the largest gospei, the historical and pro-
| phetic working out of the sermon on the
| mount, the application of sacrifice for ones
| country, not sacrifice OF IL, the bsiling
| of every invention that is a step toward
| alleviating human woe, the unswerving
! condemnation of evil--in these lines the
| newspaper has reason for being deep in
! the thought of God ana crying need of
| msn. In presenting its columns to the
| public it must therefore ask: Is this ar
| ticlo calculated. in its total effect, to i'm
prove the people who read il? For il is
! not fair TO ask the reader TO sift the wheat
from the chaif. That is what the editors
are paid to do Their very name supposes
! that they are to leave out some things aud
| put in others. Sometimes papers claim
| to reflect publ.c opinion. Sometimes they
| defect Il. 1t Is the ambition OF every
1
| opinion for righteousness, Joy and peace.
| The journalist has no more right to cause
ranking wounds, to engender hate, TO
| countenancc covetousncss, than has
| minister. The editor soemtimes Gays be
| doosn't claim to exhibit good tidings,
| uplifting news. Neither may miser claim
to be generous, a leafer -te-be-a aiiigeht.
The obligaii ion is on us to do many things
! as to which we have made no claims.
When, as profession, journalists shall
| grasp their unmatched resources to be
| held and swung according to the deepest
voices that come to them, they Will make
| 1t impossible for the basest man to think
of them as any other than the savjors OF
society.
The fourth estate as they have come to
| be called have oycrtoppcd in influence the
| lawyers, the physicisns, and claim the
samo in regard TO clergymen. Whether this
claim be GOOD or not Is not worth dis
oussing, and it IS impossible to know
| how much christianity through the pull
| pit may have made the journalist what he
is or how far the clergyman has been
nodded by the paper. The essential
1 a l.. t,,A x.-fl 4