Evening star., 1896-01-04
'BLAcKMAILERs IN JOURNALISM

What Some Papers Are Started For
and How They Are Carried On.
From the Burlington Hnwkeye.
There is one blot upon journalism which
deserves and demands public attention.
There has arisen a class of alleged news
papers. which are not conducted for legiti-
mate journalistic purposes. Their prime and
only object is to make money. OF itself
that is fundamental with every newspaper
Every business must be rock-rooted on
sound business principles or it is doomed to
failure, not only financially, but in any be-
nef1cent influence upon public thought. But
the class Of papers to which we refer goes
farther even than the maxim of the citizen
who is alleged to have given his son the ad-
vice, Make money, my son! Honestly, if
you can. but make money" For the man.
ayers Of the guerrilla newspapers are not
content to make money honestly, even if
they had the opportunity to do So They
propose to make 1T honestly and dishonesty.
and in any and every way possible, and to
achieve their ends they do not hesitate to
resort to what is popularity known as black
mailing methods.
A man of this character will procure a
press, type and outfit and under the guise
Of advocating some public measure or more
likely posing as a "reformer," or pron1ot-
ing some interest which commends itself
to public favor begins his operation of prey
ing upon the business community. To can
vaSs for subscriptions and advertising is
perfectly legitimate business transaction
but 1t ought to be conducted like any other
canvass. Solicitations should be made upon
the merits of the publication and returning
quld pro quo, giving as valuable goods as
are received. The merehant who would un-
dertake to sell his goods to his customers
against their wishes, they not needing the
goods or not desiring that kind and quality
'' Which ne offers, who wond then resort to
intimations that unless the customer bought
ms goods 1t might be the worse for him in
the future, that he would see to it that it
was made unpleasant for him in his busi-
ness reiaIons In the community. would at
once be met with Overwhelming public op-
Probrlum. There is no possible circum-
stance under which newspaper publisher
is entitled to depart from the same rules of
commercial integrity thnt govern the mer-
chant, the manufacturer. the banker and
the professional man. Because newspaper
publisher has It within his power to worry
ana annoy business men, and 'oftentimes
cause they fear what he may saw in retalia-
ton In his paper If they, do not, is unworthy
OF recognition among honest men, Yet
strange to say that sort OF journalism finds
more or less of footing not only in the
larger cities, but often IN the smaller cities
and towns. 1t is a shame and disgrace to
journalism that such things should be, and
yet the legitimate newspaper ought not to
suffer because of such rascalities any more
than the legitimate merchant or attorney,
or doctor should suffer because of the fak;rs,
shysters and quacks who impose upon suf-
fering public. The only REMEDY for this evil
Is courage and a resolution not to be in
Inundated: when the blackmaIer threatens
the business man his recourse Is to bid him
prompt defiance and forbid his presence on
his premises. Furthermore. he ought not to
q q fho
backmailng scheme, and. Unnecessary, IL ap-
peal to the courts for protection.