Evening journal., 1903-10-19
AN INDEPENDENT PRESS.

er the old-fashioned party organ
which denounced the enemy in every
Issue and lauded every act OF its own
party finds any further field for useful
ness. II is also said that the days of
personal journalism have disappeared.
in the old days the readers Of the New
York Tribune were willing to swear
that Greely wrote every line of the edi-
torial as well as much of the news.
that Bennett did the same for the Her.
aid. Dana for tho sun and Forney for
the Philadelphia Press. But now tho
personality Of the editor on most Of tho
great dailies is sunk. the public thinls-
Ing Of a staff Of writer's whose names
even they do not know.
on the smaller papars OF course tho
Identity Of individual writer's is not
sunk but the writing itself has grown
more impersonnl The training Of a
modern newspaper man leads him to
regard news and editorial opinions
largely from the standpoint Of an Inn
partial observer and a disinterested
spectator. He learns soon to put his
personal piques and prejudices behind
him. Tho reporters are like the court
stenographer whose duty IS to set down
occurrences without any personal feel
ing in the matter. II John Browns
feelings are hurt, the scribe simply
says he can't help It, but continues to
record the items Of news whether the
said John Brown be millionaire or pau
per.
The modern editorial writer, however
he may be criticised. thinks chiefly Of
expressing what he conceives to be
true. not the feeling Of the hour. but
that which must obtain in the long run
in every honest and sober minded COM
munity and he doesn't worry particu-
larly about the immediate conse-
quenoes Consequently men have grown
accustomed to reading with approval
criticisms Of policy in party organs
that they would not Themselves openly
express. Prejudice and passion are not
extinct but there is less Of that thick
and-thln support Of party and candi-
dates than ever before. It is undoubt-
edly the result Of education OF both
press and people, and is to be well
coined.
TO illustrate our point, recently
staunch administration Journals hav,
not hesitated to crltlcise the President
for certain acts. while praising him foi
others. II is the spirit OF the trues
democracy catholiclty which always
attends a sound judgment and broaC
intellectual horizon.
Right here in Delaware, leaving The
Wilmington papers out, the old-fash
ioned party organ is the exception an,
not the rule. The inslpid and fulsom'
batteries and the rabid denppciation
with which the sheets used to be fllel
only brought smiles. and they wer
laughed out of court. The old Dove
Delawarean. for instance, wouldn't re
cognize itself in these recent years. Il
the old days one didn't expect to rea
in it an editorial such as would hav
passed muster IN q Sunday school. No,
il is party paper. ever loyal, but
rarely finds occasion TO be unjust, illog
ical or violent. Likewise its neighboi
the Index. has discovered a surprisin
independence for a party organ. Their
is a spice about its editorials that give
them flavor yet occasionally when
finds crookedness or inehiciency in tn
Democratic party it utters its senti
inents with ivigor. Go on down tn
state and read the pithy editorial par
agraphs Of the Sussex Journal 1t
shafts Of logic, wit and sarcasm are di
rected with considerable impartialit
at the objects that merit them, and il
reading them one isn't always think
Ing: "Hore is an editor who is boun
to get an Office" In the same town
printed the Sussex Republican. ii
owner is an ofice-holder, but on
wouldn't know it from reading the pa
per. There is a constant hammerin
at a power in wing of the part
whose influence coward or weaklin
would court They read as though tn
writer never thought for a moment q
the effect Of his utteranoes on his 20
llitlcal fortune. There are signs Of thi
independence even in that part Of IN
press which has attached itself to tn
fortunes Of one man and which becaus
Of favors has tied itself to his chariC
wheels. In its last issue the Milfor
Chronicle dares TO rc9udiate WilliaI
, Michael Byrne, although he was re
Gently the standard bearer OF the "or
MANS" party and its Moses.
l SO we may congratulate ourselvc
that the press OF Delaware is growin
more indepondent--wh means thl
I, st is more honest. There is a create
breadth OF vision shown IN editoril
writing, and there is less Of that pei
l.. sonai element that Is selfish. Perhal
!, the readers demand it, but the pre-
itself has taught them % make ths d
!. mand.
's A great many men We hear now We,
IS. corsets. These are the men vi