The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-13


table we have spread before us the
world as it is, not as we wish it might
be: humanity, with it's faults and fall
ings, it's sins and crimes. and possibly
very little concerning the bright side of
life. Yet am not the one to condemn
the journal in It's enterprise of pictur-
ing to us the dark, the depraved, the
shocking side Of life.
Let the journal be strong in its in
f1uence on the side of right, and let its
aim be to educate against laWlessneSS
| and crime, and not make robbery as
something daring and dashing and pic
ture the career of a highWayman as one
worthy to be initiated by our boys, who
naturally delight in herosm; let the
journal stand for right and truth, and
not cater to the vulgar, to the low, to
the sensual; then the service it will
render to civilization in its impulses up
ward will make it a constant blessing
to the hearts and homes of our people.
Morality must be the north star for
steering. Take morality out of its
hearts purpose and it must sooner or
later end in shipwreck. The moral jour
nal will establish its throne in the
hearts of the people. Over such a pa
per coming to our homes people should
say grace, even more than over the
food they eat.
L almost think that the shamefulness
as it is by the pulpit. Nothing can
happen, no great crime, no great sor-
row, no war, pestilence or famine, moth
ing of interest to humanity, but
straightway it is proclaimed by the
press as if by a clarion trumpet to the
Inhabitants of earth. I believe by do
ing this the press rebukes sin and is
check to the wild and lawless nature
of men. Most people fear to be ex-
posed to public opinion, to be pilloried
in public print. The thief, the robber,
the shark, fears the eleventh command
ment, Thou shalt not be found out
more than anything else. He fears the
ever-present, unmerciful reporter This
acts as a restraining influence. 1t keeps
many man from life Of shame and
indignity
THE newspaper is an essential fac
tor in our civliza ton. It is the lighted
candle of the world; from it we receive
events. good paper stimulates the
mind to thinking. When we remember
that more than forty millions of news
papers are being printed every week,
that they visit the homes of our peo-
pie day by day, that they are read by
man, woman and child, the influence
which they exert in moulding public
sentiment is simply amazing.
1.-THE only danger is that the editori-
ais are written too hurriedly and the
u
the moment, leaving the multitudes in
the condition of the schoolboy who was
asked what he was thinking about and
answered that he had no thoughts, be-
cause he was so busy reading he had
no time to think 1t has been said that
for a thousand men who can speak
there is only one who can see But the
greatest of all arts is to write from the
heart the visions and aspirations of the
soul.
Our leading journals need the best
thinkers, men that are prophets and
statesmen, upon their staff Far better
that we have less reading and more
quality, less talk and more gems of
thought. There is danger that in our
hurry we become superficial. We are
living too fast. We eat our meals in
an un-Christian manner; we skim over
our papers; we rush pell nell after the
mighty dollar. We complain that the
sermons 35 minutes long are too lengthy
and the singing is too slow. This, in
my judgment, will not develop a deep
thinking people.
1.-THE newspaper should be full of
gateWays containing eloquence, music,
science, art. political economy and reli-
glOn-eVerythng that is elevating and
helpful. While the pulpit reaches its
hundreds the press reaches it's tens of
thousands. Few of our people have
opportunities TO attend schools and uni
Versities; not many attend the church
service; the lecture room is almost de-
serted: the saloons. with their blight
influences, keep open day and night.
Now, if the press does not become a
civilizng and refining influence in the
world. the worlds civilization will be
retarded and Ichabod' will be written
over modern journalism. But I have
great faith in the journalism of the
near future. Public sentiment will de-
mand morality.
Most of our papers to-day need to
take heed to Washington's advice, La
Dor to keep alive in your breast that
little spark of celestial fire called con-
science There can be no high art, no
great enterprise, no artistic excellence,
without morality, and no man can be a
great poet. great orator, great
statesman, novelist or philosopher who
does not appeal to conscience to freshen
his ideals and to steer him in his con-
viction.
Il am not trying to put narrow
jacket about the printing press to re-
strain its liberty in dealing with all
matters of society. church and state
The only thing l am contending for as
the thing most needful in modern Jour-
nalism is that they make morality and
conscience their guide. Let the journal
live for a great idea. not merely to
make money. Let it be a light-giver,
Let it's mission be to make life pleas
anter, duty clearer, patriotism natural.
Let it always be the friend and ally of
truth, purity and morality. Let it la
bor for the announcement and tio,