The Republican., 1899-04-13

ism" IhlS marked decline or tine
yellow journal is not surprising to
observing people. Only the most su-
perficial minds have failed to differ
entiate this excresence from the
healthy body of American journalism.
For, as Editor McKelway of the
Brooklyn Eagle points out. ''in journ-
alism, fair reporting, clean statement
and vigorous comment are the signs
of the times. Journalism was never
at a higher state of influence and ex-
cellence in this country. The one or
two exceptional instances are quoted
to the contrary only by the shallow
minds that find false significance in
a sensational and transient fact.
"There are fewer offenders and
there are fewer offenses against the
high standard in journalism than in
law or medicine or the ministry or the
army or the navy"
Proceeding to discuss the ethical
feature of newspaper publishing, Mr..
McKelway continues: No newspa-
per man ever thought that his calling
was all that he would make it, but all
contemporary newspaper men have
lived to see the shirk, the drunkard,
the black-mailer, thestriker, theloafer,
the idler and the beggar disappear
from the spelling of white paper with
black type in nearly every city in the
land. Every community's journalism
is a better mental and moral repre-
sentation to that community than its
office holders, as a rule, can be said to
be. In proportion as journalism is
solvent it is likely to be free and
strong, for dependence in that calling,
as in any other calling, is likely to
invite or meet with temptations that
test virtue, strain character and de-
mand the charity of silence or the
silence of charity"
A newspaper can have character, or
not; but cannot have influence with
out character, any more than it can
have character without indepen-
dence, and the editor who trims his
sail to catch every favoring gale or
to turn the common dust of serviie
opportunity to gold" cannot give to
his publication either of these charac-
teristics.
An editor to make his journal wor-
thy of respect must be self-respecting,
and this he cannot be if he for any
weak or selfish consideration con-
sent to the slightest surprise of con-
science or conviction.
Upon this point we few weeks ago
said: "a newspaper cannot be all
things to all men. They must be one
thing or the other. The composite
photograph has never become popu-
lar in art, for the reason that it is no.
body When reader finds an editor
catering to all sides he is apt to make
up his mind that that editor is
working both sides for what money
he can make out of them. Even
biased opinions, if they are honest
and fearless, are better than milk
and-water opinions expressed for
money.
newspapers should not only stand
for something, bnt they should stand
up for it. To do this it is not neces-
sarv to even espouse the cause of a
party, although that is a good way,
for parties are supposed to stand for
something; but it is necessary to
think consecutively and strongly and
honestly along some line or other,
and the line ought to be determined
from within a mans own inner con-
sciousness and judgment, as far as
possible"
We bring this discussion to a close
for this time, though not finally, by
quoting remark of Gov. Theodore
Roosevelt of New York in public
speech delivered few days ago.
Said Col. Roosevelt:
despise a man who surrenders his
conscience to the multitude as much
as | do the one who surrenders it to
one man.
In this virile sentiment is tersely
epitomized the purpose, however i'm
perfectly maintained, which has been
the guiding principle of THE REPUB-
! LICAN during the nine years of its ex-
istence under the present manage
ment.