Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-03

.,,r,.l.s NJ his own. although Tor thliAa |
al, v.,rs he WAS the head. the heart
the brain of the London Times hut
be directed every writer; he furhishen
the thor int. the policy, the iniiiatiNe'
hc bore the responsibility ana ne CUT
rectcd 10th manuscript aud proofs
Nothiug less than the highest ideals
,be mo,l scrnpulous anxiety TO do right
,hs most accurate knowledge OF the
problems il has To meet ana a siiSeIe
sense Of its moral responsibility VIII
save journalism from subservience 10
business interests, seeking selhsh ehus'
antagonistic to the public welfare,
Commercialism has legitimate
Mace In newspaper-namely III lhe
business office. The more successiui
n newspaper is commercially the pet
tor for its moral side. The more pros
nerous IL is the more Independent IL
can afford TO be- the higher salaries IL
can pay to editors and reporters, the
/ less subject Ii will be TO temptation
tba better il can stand losses for the
sake of principle and conviction. but
commercialism. which is proper ana
/
necessary in the business Office, be-
comes a degradation ana dahser
when il invades the editorial rooms
Once let the public come TO regard the
press as exclusively commerclal DUST
moss and there is an end of its moral
nover- Influence cannot exist without
nublic confidence, and that confidence
must have a human basis. Ii must
rest in the end on the character OF the
journalist. The editor. the real jour
nolist" of the future, must be man OF
sucb known integrity that he VIII De
above the suspicion of writing or eult-
ing against his convictions. lie must
no known AS one who would resign
rather than sacrifice his principles 10
any business interest. Ii wouiu ue
well if the editor of every newspaper
w,re also its proprietor, but every edl-
tor can be at least the proprietor OF
himself If he cannot keep the paper
from degrading itself, he can reluse
to he a party to the degradation.
Nv far the larger part of the Amerl-
can press is honest, although partisan
II means to do right; it would IKE u
know how. To strengthen its resolu-
tiou and give TO its wisdom the lndls-
nensable basis of knowledge and IN
dependence is the object of training III
journalism.
We are embarked, whether we Ike
it or not, upon revolution IN thoush'
and life. Progress is sweeping Tor
ward with accelerating force outstrlp-
ming in decades the advance of former
centuries and millenniums. All pro-
LESSONS, all occupations but one are
keeping step with that majestic march.
IFS iuspirption has fired all ranks of
, the marching army, or must we except
a the standard bearersi The self CON
stitutcd leaders and enlighteners of the
q people-what are they doingt Stand
:, ing still, lost in sell admiration, Whlle
: the hosts march by! Are they even
4 doing as well as that? Is it not a fact
4 that the editors of seventy years ago
were, as a rule, better Informed IN
, law, politics, government and history
y than those of today? The statesmen
\ and Law ers and political students who
, used TO do editorial work for ambi-
a ton or intellectual pleasure have
!. ceased to frequent the newspaper
offices There is no trade so humble
4 that it is not developing a standard of
competence based on thorough train.
2 ing. For the more intellectual pro.
p. fessions-law, medicine, art, archi
q lecture music, engineering in all its
v varied branches-the years of prepare
6 ton are stretching over ever lengthen
I. ing periods.
t Is the most exacting profession OF
l. ALL the one that requires the widest
and the deepest knowledge and the
y firmest foundations of character, to b'
Is left entirely to the chances of self edu
p cation? Is the man who is everybody:
r. critic and teacher the only one WHIT
does not need to be taught himself?
It 1t has been said by some that my OBJ
& iect in founding the College Of Jour
,s nalism was to help young men wh'
i wish to make this their vocation. 9th
,e ers have commended it as an effort t.
le raise journalism to its real rank al
st one of the learned professions. Thi
+. is true. But, while 1t is great pleas
" ure to feel that a large number o
rs young men will be helped to a bette
D. start in life by means of this college
k this is not my primary object Neithe
Of is the elevation of the profession
er which | love so much and regard s.
O. highly. In all my planning the chic
end had in view was the welfare o
a the Republic. 1t will be the objec
he of the college to make better journa
RI lists, who will make better newspapers
If. which will better serve the public.
lie will impart acknowledgement for its ow
of sake, but to be used for the publ
ng service 1t will try to develop chal
tn acter, but even that will be only
is means to the one supreme end-th
re public good. We are facing that hitl
as erto unheard of portent, an innumerf
EN- BILE, world wide, educated and self col
is scious democracy. The little revolt
ie- tons of the past have been effected b
a few leaders working upon an igno
IT. ant populace, conscious only Of vagu
he feelings of discomfort. Now the masse
it read. They know their grievances an
,al their power. They discuss in Ne,
of York the position of labor in Berli
Ter ard in Sydney. Capital, too. is deve
81 oplns n WorlC Wlue class feeling.
ye- likewise has learned the power of c
he opera tion
ng What will be the state of society ar