Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-20

sibility of ed tors. and those confronting
newspapers, and yet | fear that only an
insignificant number of editors appreciate
this responsibility as they ought. am
forced to this conclusion by reading the
reckless and mischievous articles that ire
quently appear in some of our prominent
newspapers; especially was this apparent
| in the discussion of our late trouble With
Spain. and the responsibility of some gov
eminent officials in the execution OF Their
| functions.
In certain sections of the country the
press has done its best to render victory
difficult. Its aim seems to have been 10
convey as much information to the enemy
as possible. For these papers events
never go fast enough. They insist on int
mediate action and scott at waiting tax
tics, however desirable or necessary they
may be. During a war no war news or
| any sort or kind should be permitted TO be
published beyond the official statements
the fate of nation is in the balance, to
risk affording information to the enemy in
order that newspaper may ger on an
edition or two. or that its readers curl
| 1t is the boast of modern journalism
that nothing of Importance happens IN
any part of the world but that the story
of it is printed at o,:ce in full Time ana
space have almost been annihilated 70
| a great degree this is true. enterprises
and inventions have accomplished Won
count of the battle of Waterloo, gave to
| that great event only half column. But
that half column was authentic. 1t could
4, be believed. 1t did not give page OF
sirmises and gueSseS and possibilities.
| That half column gave facts. In our late
war with Spain authentic news was the
e< ception.
| Now. nobody knew what to believe
when seemingly important intelligence
was telegraphed. The humbug sensational
newspapers are largely responsible for
| this.
the truth What does it profit the m IN
who reads i'll the morning that the troops
nave left Key West for Cuba. to find that
| by noon the report is denied? or what
/ value is a large. heavy-faced Victory
| to the man who on reading finds that the
! guns Of the Nesuvius were only sup
[ i,osed" to have shattered a certain Span
| ism fort? Some of the sensational news
papers use as large type on the ilrst
| page as the bulletin man uses on the bui-
letin board, and there is about as much
real news on the one as on the 9ther.
Might we not well cease reading lese
unsa tisfactory reports and wait for the
official dispatches to the government?
! Two weeks possibly might clapse before
We could find out what had happened al
Santiago or at Havana. but they would
he a fortnight of mental regeneration
| from the surging tide of fake dispatches.
! If it is true that the newspapers can only
give the public what they get themselves
from their correspondents, what. let me
ask. has become of the editorial blue
pencil?
There is no institution-not even the
church itself-that wields greater power
than the press; especially is this so in our
lcountry, where all the people are constant
readers. and look to the columns of the
press to set them right on all the ques-
tions and issues of the day. If the news
paper is unfaithful, vi5lated or lnie da;1,
teaching. the moral sentiment of the
country is soon corrupted and lowered
and disastrous results to the BODY poiltlc
speedily follow. Patriotism and reverence
+; for public and beneticent institutions di-
minish. All. yes. high and powerful
responsibility rests upon the press OF TINS
| country, and all editors must be made to
feel their individual responsibility. and
govern themselves accordingly.
! You all doubtless remember the patr:-
otto sentiment uttered by General Francis
II. Nichols. when as Governor OF LOUIS
charter to the notorious Louisiana Lot
terry. and detied the power of corpora
| ton which had boosted that it owned the
state. General Nichols lost an arm At
Winchester and a leg at Chancellorsvilie;
and when he retired from the Governor
! ship he was presented with silver SER
vice, the salver bearing the words in
which he vetoed the lottery bill, viz: "a,
no tire and under no circumstances Will
l permit one of my hands to aid in de-
grading what the otner was lost in seek
Ing to uphold-the honor of my native
state Were | to affiX my signature TO
this bill L would indeed be ashamed 70
| let my left hand know what my right
| mana ndu uOIt. pace lIlt llpilcl VI my
native state above money.
This was the eloquent utterance of Il
| true patriot who keenly realized the re-
sponsibilties of his exalted position II
all editors were actuated by similar ser
timent of responsibility there would be
much less to criticize in the conduct or
the public press, and its influence would
soon rise to still greater magnitude.
! think this, and kindred associations in
other states, have done much to elevate
| and imnr0Vp the tone of the DllDtlc press.
and at no time in the history Of this
country has the influence of the press
been more potent of far-reachlng than al
the present time, hence the individual re-
sponsibility of the editor is magnlled ana
increased to such extent that the pubic
pulse is easily raised or lowered by the
articles that appear in its columns from
day to day. touching upon topics Whlch
give birth to vital issues, that are crys-
tallized into law and sentiment which
eventually governs the country, and over
shadows all of our cherished institutions
that have made us one of the most pros
lperous and powerful nations of the earth.
Following the essay came remarks by
several charter members. f. Rowel.,
NJ. n. Rich and j. A. Holman, Mr..
Merrill of the Christian Mirror, also
briefly spoke. Governor Powers, who
came by special invitation to the cham
her, then addressed the association.
Those who listened to his clear and
eloquent address in which he spoke
strongly of the power OF the press and
what it had done and could do for our
i State would not for a moment have
suspected that the Governor spoke I'M
dor conditions that might have dis
couraged a less resolute man from
speaking at all. He mad in fact just
come from the dentist where he had
just had an liberated tooth extracted
ana Mas lying down for a. moment on
/ the sofa in his private room when in
{ vited to appear before the association
!, The manner in which he respond d
to the call only emphasizes his right ia
BE- ranked among the ables. speakers
: in Maine. Few men in fact can com
= pare with him in off hand efforts cf
TINS character. The cordial greeting
{ that was given him by the editors
, present showed that they apprecIate
MS administration of State affairs.
fnitWln;S the Governors snnneh tha