Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-12
THE CRIME OF THE YELLOW
JOURNAL.
From the Burlington Haw-Keye.

i
The deplorable shooting of Presi-
dent Mckinley at the Buffalo eXposi-
ton grounds Friday arouses in the
breast of the true American citizen an
intense feeling of resentment against
the yellow journal class of newspa-
pers, which for the past six or eight
years have eXerted their baneful in
fluence over the ignorant and discon-
tented classes in the country. 1t is
the belief of the great mass of sober
minded people that the editorial and
pictorial attacks of this class of jour
nails on men who happen to hold high
public office are responsible in great
measure for the propagation of a GER
tain class of lawlessness among the
ignorant and unthinking.
OF this class of journals are the
three Hearst newspapers-the Chicago
American being particularly in evil
dence in this part of the country.
These papers have not hesitated to
debase the finest literary and artistic
talent in the country to the defaming
of the character and features of Pres
ident Mckinley, Vice-President Roose-
welt and other prominent and patriotic
American citizens, without regard to
truth or justice. The subjects of the
attacks are made to appear as the op-
pressors of the people, or as ridiculous
objects. towards whom a shower of
eggs or stones could be Tighteously
thrown.
Were all classes of people who read
such attacks board-minded and intel
ligent, there would little harm come
of them. But, unfortunately, there are
thousands of benighted beings whose
minds are susceptible of influence by
the class of journalism just as the
mind of the youth is debased by trashy
literature. Mr.. Hearst, in his greed
for money, panders to the lower class
es in this yellow feature of his papers,
and encourages the feeling that the
common people" are down-trodden
and abused, and that only by physical
force can they rise above their "tyrant
oppressors."
An illustration of the effect Of this
reprehensible class of journalism was
the treatment of Theodore Roosevelt
in Chicago during last years cam
paign. The Chicago American took adj
vantage of Mr. Roosevels visit to that
city to print number of outrageous
Ssei WINS VI I'LL, 1llll Will
shooting Spaniards in the back, and
calling on the common people" to gaze
upon one who was at the head of the
organization which was grinding them
into the dust"
The result of the cartoon and the
violent editorials was that on Sunday
morning, as Mr.. Roosevelt was COM
ing out of church, he was attacked by
bowling mob of hoodlums, hooted at,
reviled and even pelted with clods. AT
the time the Legitimate Chicago press
and the press of the country generally
denounc' d the attitude of the Chicago
American, which tried to defeat it's
course in a clustering and feeble edi-
torial.
1t is believed the murderous attack
on Senator Hanna in Chicago during
the same campaign was also influenced
by the criminal journalism of the
American" and while it can hardly
be said that such influence led to the
tragedy Of Friday, it is only too an.
parent that the spirit of hate and re-
Venge aroused by such editorial ut
terances might easily lead to the com.
hitting of such a deed by some half
crazed man deluded with the idea that
he was serving the people by destroy
ing a tyrant.
The intelligent and law-abiding peo.
pie VIII not be slow to recognize the
danger of such publications, and it
can be relied upon that they will be
more and more inclined to frowp upon
the Mckinley Minstrel and "Willie
and His Pa" class of cartoons, pub
liShed by Mr. Hearst
A general refusal to read such
sheets would be the most salutary cure
OF this evil, for it would hit the pub
fishers where they live-in the purse.