Washington sentinel., 1899-10-14
The Power OF the Press.

The Power OF the EPebs,
The power of the newspaper is
stupendous. So great has it be-
come that large number Of peo-
pie, Of average standing in every
community, rely upon the news
paper not alone for news, but to do
their thinking for them and to fur
nish them with ready-made opin-
ions. We warn the people that
an engine so potent as the public
press is available for evil as well
as good. There are few honest, IN
dependent papers in this country.
It is a recognized fact that the
majority OF our journals are parti-
san and follow their respective
parties right or wrong.
For example, take the Republi-
can party which has for years
posed as the "holier than thou"
party-the party OF God and NOR
ality. The Republican press has
been keen to apply the principles
of morality to all the acts OF
Democratic Administrations in
either State or nation. The editors
of the great Republican dailies
have on many occasions, when ap
plying the lash to the Democrats,
furnished convincing evidence that
they had read the Ten Command
ments, the Golden Rule, the Ser
mon on the Mount and the Declar-
alton Of independence. But with
a few honorable exceptions they
have now either forgotten these
altogether or have dismissed them
fiom mind as unworthy of further
consideration. We remember the
righteous Indignation of the Re-
publican press when it charged that
President Cleveland was going to
sustain the claim OF Liliuokalani
in Hawaii, and we observe that
these papers were as silent as the
tomb when the Mckinley Admin
istration sent $40, 900 through Cen
eral Bates to bribe and purchase
a nominal sovereignty over the
Sulu Islands. They forget to tell
US that the chief occupation Of the
chiefs Of these islands is now, and
ever has been, piracy-murdering
seamen and plundering commerce.
That furthermore slavery and poly
gamy in the vilest and most revolt
ing forms exist upon those islands
and that when our flag was hoisted
over them as their protector the
only promise demanded OF the
Sultan by the United States was
that the slave would be permitted
to purchase his own lreedem,
providing that he was the highest
bidder.
What has become of the party Of
great moral ideas9 What has
paralyzed the moral forces Of the
Republican press7 Think of what
these same papers would say if a
Democratic administration had
broken faith with our allies in the
Philippines and was massing an
army OF one hundred thousand
men to overthrow an independent
government modelled after our own,
and by murder and fame were
seeking to force into subj ection a
Christian people, who respect the
rights ol prisoners Of war, and un-
der the most eS<asperating condi-
tions show that they are as highly
civilized as the average nationi
What would these papers say il a
Democratic President was en-
gagged in a political stump.speak
ing tour with his Cabinet. willis
waging a war3 What would they
say about the latter's speeches
they abounded with the same gilt
tering generalities used by Mr.
Mckinley The power Of tn
press is such that If they were no
in the service OF the trusts ant
monopolies, whose bidding ou
President is doing in the Orient
they would arouse the people int
open rebellion against such infa
mics and hypocrisy.
Our p eopIe are partisan, man
OF the m blind partisan bigots. BIZ
the SENTINEL doubts if there ca
be found many who will not retus
to accept any part Of the respons
biIities Of President Mckinley
policy Of criminal aggression an
the infamies that have been r
sorted to in the Orient