The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-06
THE POWER OF THE PRESS.

From the Philadelphia Ledger. Jan. 70.
Before an assemblage that crowded ev-
cry part of the large Temple of the Re
form Congregation Kcneseth Israel Broad
street, above Columbia avenue the Rev.
Dr. Joseph Krauskopf delivered "a dis
course on Uses and Abuses of the Press
yesterday morning. Journalism, said the
rabbi. claimed for itself a higher rank
than it accorded the pulpit. In many re-
spects this claim was justified Newspa-
pers reached a much larger circle of peo-
pie. While the average preacher, If popu-
lar, breaches to 1000 to 1000 persons a
week, the average popular newspaper
reaches as many hundred thousands Ill
the same period. To some extent. too, the
claims of the modern newspaper to superb
ority over the government and the judi
ciary have also their justification in large
measure of fact. The press is greater
than the power behind the throne. 1t sits
on the throne itself, and is the uncroWned
king. over the pretensions of the schools
as the greatest educators of the people
| the press had also voiced its claim to
| superiority Boastful as this might be,
| it could not be denied that the press is
one of the mightiest of our educative
forces.
Continuing. the speaker said: MAY
| there not be timely lesson for us to learn
| from this likeness between the gigantic
| ago and that of the newspaper press OF
| the present day? We have nothing to
| fear from the newspaper press as long as
| it keeps within it's own honorable. leSltl-
mate sphere, as many of the Journals OF
| our land do, notably some in our own
| city; but we have everything to fear
from it, our rights and liberties, our faiths
and hopes, our schools and churches, our
| homes and industties-all are in danger
! when the press wantonly uses its giant
| power, giant-like, when, to appease its
| thirst for power or to satisfy its craving
| for gold, it crushes the innocent and favors
| the guilty, deals treacherously with
| friends and friendly with enemies; stabs
| assassin-like, those whom it has not the
| courage to face in honorable fight: holds
| out its hands to briDe; stoops so that stock
| manipulators and monopolsts, politica
| bosses and despots might ride upon 1t tt
| enormous wealth and Implying tyranny
| lends it's ears to scandals, corruptions, in
| tidelities, and its pen to graphic portray
ais of them; revels in them and gloats ovel
| them, in Satanic glee, blighting every
| thing that safeguards and uplifts society
"Properly to appreciate the worth of the
newspaper, we have but to picture to our
| selves it's cessation for month or So How
lost we all would feel How we woulC
seem to grope in the dark We have bu
to behold within the domains of Russit
a copy of a New York, or London or Parl
paper, with such parts blackened as TIN
Russian government does not wish Il
| have read within its realms, to appreciat
the influence of a free press on nationa
| liberties and individual rights. So lon
as we have free and legitimate press W
have a power mightier than the Car, an
much nearer and reader to hear our cr
and to answer it. Men may shut thei
, ears, but the newspaper forces their eye
open, and makes them read. The twenty
six movable letters of the press hav
moved half of our modern liberties. GU
: legitimate newspaper is our modern are
} ma; it is our safety valve; it is the art
) lery that turns threatening revolution
A into needed reformations. 1t Is our pul
lie conscience. The fear of exposure &
the public pillory of the press keeps count
, less multitudes in the path of rectitude.
The speaker then pointed to what h
termed the weakness that has beset a larg
r part of journalism, although the latter Wa
Y never so colossal as at present-a veal
/ ness that he traced to waning public COZ
| fdence in the accuracy and integrity
. the newspaper, and due in part to the tr,
mendous pace at which the newspape
world is compelled to move on this poir
" he theorized thus: Every issue involve
+ enormous expenditure. In the CONNIE
d cal spirit involved in this undertaken
n lies the most pernicious evil of the mo-
"a ern newspaper. Nothing must be sa
, or done that may antagOnize advertise
= or lessen circulation. The readers mu
u be pandered to; their whims and fancie
Il their 'oXies' and 'isms' must be catert
d to; their morbid tastes and sensation
cravings must be satisfied. 1t is the w
t of the reader that reigns supreme in Il
n newspapers more often than that of Il
editor. In fact, the real business ente
, prise shows itself in getting a scoop
- nastinesS over a competitor; in detailing
- more sensational story; in dragging in
l. publicity a greater privacy; in using mo
e Hashy headlines or more suggestiVely /
n decent pictures or trumpeting louder
l. fellow mans shame and disgrace, n
% monstrous power thus acquired belongs
i, those who own the paper, not to its eC
- tors or reporters. Some day there will
an awakening, but this awakening mi
H. come too late; it may come when
II power is crippled and its influence gor
Would that this awakening might cor
L. before the waning of it's power and
ia fuence. Rightly used, society has need
Ia all of il. If employed in the support
! religion, government and school, to shie
- the rights and liberties of the people, tn
= are its services equal to those of the be