The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-23
YELLOW.KiD JOURNALISM.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
We are Just now in the midst of har-
vest for yellow-kid journalism. The ru-
mors of war with Spain have created In
tense interest throughout the entire coun-
try, and opened the most inviting held
for the reckless journalism that Is now
struggling for mastery In some OF the
leading cities to flood the country with
sensational falsehoods relating to the loss
of the battleship Maine, and to the prob
abilities of wa, between spain ana the
United States. As many as half score
editions of yellow-kid journals have been
issued I'm one day, each In most instances
correcting some falsehood in one of the
former editions, and yet furnishing
liberal supply of new falsehoods invented
with mingled malignity and cunning, to
intensity the war feeling of the country
and increase the sale of what are by
courtesy called newspapers
10
There has not been an honest state
ment relating to the loss of the battle
ship Maine and the probabilities of war
with Spain published in the leading yell
low-kid journals since the loss OF our war
vessel in Cuban waters, with the single
exception of the official statements given
out daily by the administration, and
made necessary by their false and sem
sational publicatio The interests of
national tranquility and of truth compel
the president, through the state or navy
departments, to give out daily an oihcial
contradiction of the scores of sensational
and generally utterly false rumors OF war
which the yellow-kid journals tiaunt hour
ly into the faces of the people.
o
Fortunately yellow-kid journalism rep
resents but very insignificant part OF
the journalism of the nation. There are
in all the leading cities thoroughly repre-
sentative American journals which pub
lsh the truth for the sake of the truth,
and which make exhaustive effort regard
less of cost to furnish all the news re-
lating to our Spanish struggles, and print
only what appears to be properly accred-
tied. But for these journals which ad-
here to the truth ard seek to restrain the
| passions and conserve the actions of the
people, the country today would be in a
| condition little short of anarchy. Values
| have been wantonly disturbed, business
| tranquility interrupted, and popular pre-
| judices inspired among the people which
| may make 1t difficult for the government
| to perform the duty that the president In
| the end must perform with fidelity, In
| dealing in even and exact justice with
| Spain.
| If there is cause for war; the govern
| ment will not shrink from declaring 1t
| If there Is not cause for war; the gov
ernment will not shrink from admitting
it. regardless of the floodtide of sensa
tional falsehood that comes from the
putrid fountain of yellow-kid journalism
The people do not want to be deceived
and If they would not be deceived abou
our relations with Spain they should reso
lutely spurn the yellow-kid journals o
the country which seek success and prot
| by pandering to anarchy. The newspa
pers which present the truth for the sak
of the truth are well known in every com
| munity. and they should be CAREFUL!
studied by all classes and conditions a
they point the way to national safety
| Above all, let every decent citizen, ant
| especially every business man, resent th
| yellow-kid journalism of today that SEEK
only to intiame and disturb when all self
respecting journals and citizens should
seek to tranquilize and maintain the ma
jesty of justice.