The record-union., 1898-12-05

journalist And the reasons advanced
in one case are identical with those in
the other. The law OF formation and
expression of public opinion is now as
1t was then. As our San Francisco
contemporary well puts 1t, the interior
newspaper man seeks to kefiect the Sem
timent Of his environment in one sense,
he is prompted by self-interest to do so;
the newspaper man Of the greater cities
assumes that he can mold and lead pub
lie opinion and that he is practically
Independent of it. This truth has been
repeatedly demonstrated in San Fran
cisco and as repeatedly proven in the
interior communities of California.
The Record Union" has more than
once been taken to task for asserting
its conviction that the modern newspa-
per does not create public opinion; that
at most it can only modify, by preser-
tation Of reasons for change and modi-
fication. The newspaper is greatest and
most useful in the Office Of guide and
aid, and least valuable when it seeks
to dictate, intimidate or drive. For
that expression the ire Of some If our
contemporaries has been excited
against this journal, but not one has
been able to successfully disprove the
proposition.
The fact is, as our San Francisco con-
temporary asserts, that very few peo-
pie nowadays are guided in their opin-
ions by the dictum of press, pulpit Or
teacher. The intelligence of the day
has made men more independent in
thought, more circumspect in forming
judgments, and more jealous Of being
led.
Not that public judgment is not some
times warped and led to wrong conclu-
sions by reason of its fears and its
prejudices on lines of misinfornar!on
and the persistent assertion of untruth.
it has not infrequently been led into
downright error, as was witnessed In a
significant instance in the late State
election. But while this is true 1t is
opinion is not the prerogative Of any
one influence.
The newspaper man who assumes That
he can twist the public mind about his
finger, exhibits his dense ignorance OF
the forces which go to crystalize public
opinion. He may, if wisely moved, pro-
mote beneficent public opinion and do
much good in combating erroneous
public Judgment. But these are very
different offices from that of creator
and commander. The frequent reversal
and rejection Of the metropolitan press
by its community, and the almost con-
stant affirmation and support of It's
press by the interior community, ought
to teach the former journalistic iniill-
ences lessons which would prove foun-
tains of wisdom and prudence to them
GOVERNMENT OF OUR COLONIES
In the December Atlantic c. f.
Boyd. writing intelligently Of our new
possessions and their prospective gov
ernments, declares that it must have
a degree of permanence not found IN
territorial organizations. This CORE
spends with the reported expressions
of Senator Chandler. who holds that
the largest liberty as to self-goven-
ment should be given the Filipinos al
the earliest possible moment, but thai
the United States must maintain over
them a protecting and asserting arm
Referring to Porto Rico, Mr.. Boyc
thinks it will not be ready for ad.
mission to the Union for many years
We would go beyond that, and say
never. It is improbable that it viii
ever become a State. or that 1t viii
ever be for the best interests Of its
| people to assume the sovereign atti-
tude of a State. Even Mr.. Boyd ad-
mits that the Philippines can never
reach the condition when it would bs
advisable to make the archipelago 8
State of the Union. But, as he wei
says, the permanent form Of paterna
government that must be provided
must carry with it and mean a per-
manent civil service system.
For the governing Of colonies is ar
art not to be learned in a day, or &
year, or in many years. Our lack o.
! experience must be cured by man,
years of practice. In that time the
people of the distant colony will have
settled into a system that it will bs
unadvisable to change, and which they
will not probably desire to be severed
from. But while practice goes on
there must be developed a. class of mcr
peculiarly fitted and adapted to thu
conduct of the new form of govern
ment, and these will be searched ou
and developed through the agency O
civil service school which will Fl
men for colonial service, just as il
Europe men are trained for diplomatic
service.
This is to give us a body of mel
capable of handling the difficult prob
| lens TO be committed to them. o
| course it does not exclude competen
Filipinos from entering into such ser
vice. But, as Mr.. Boyd puts it, tn
men to be first chosen must constitut
a permanent staff both of administra
ton and for the training Of othe
men to succeed them. and this vii
| involve a civil service school Of neces
sity to determine their intellectual
mental and other qualifications