The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-11
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
Editor Harvey of Harper's Weekly
 Talks We'll

Editor Harvey Of HarpeTs Weekly
 Talks Well.
 There is no press in the world com parable to that Of America in freedom from influence, political or social, from yenality, from contamination Of any kind whatever. In France newspa- per's opinions are a matter of francs: in England, too often, of titles; in Germa- ny, Austria and Spain, of imperial fa- vor; in Russia, of absolute censorship. In America, thanks to the maintenance of the sturdy traditions established by the Greeleys, Raymonds. Danas, Ben netts, Medills and Bowleses of the past, the fundamental integrity of the press cannot be impugned. It is faultful, but it is free. We have our sadly exag- gerated headlines on week days, and our monstrosities on Sundays; we have amazing productions of no less amaz- ing "art;'' we have columns and col umns of crime, and pages and pages of
 waste. Finally, not least, at any rate in numbers we have our red and white
 papers, sometimes referred to as vel
 low journals"
 Personally. I should be of the last to
 defend or make apology for this latest i manifestation of conmercialism, misdi- rected ambition and false doctrines in
 the American press. But. however se-
 riously we may regret and resent the
 ebullition, we cannot ignore the irresis- ' tible conclusion that this particular ! channel, and this alone, affords a vent
 for unexpressed beliefs and suspicious
 which can be dissipated only by the
 clear rays of reason following any form
 of expression.
 1 As entrusted with our own country, Russia today stands forth vivid ex-
 ample of the effect of suppressed opin-
 Ion. Discomfort would better burn I than smolder. The continuous hlssing i of offensive gases escaping is not pleas
 ant, but it is infinitely preferable to
 the otherwise inevitable explosion. Yet more important, more vital to the per- manence of government of whole people by themselves, Is assolute free
 dom of expression. Upon that all de- pends. Restrict < it, or create the i'm
 pression in suspicious minds that it is
 being restricted, and you SOW the wind f With this general dictum few If any t But it Is often, and regret to say of
 ten truly, urged that liberty is subvert-
 ed to license. Freedom of speech, free- dom of publicity; yes, all admit the wisdom and necessity of preserving both. But how frequently is added, es- pecially by men in public office, a vig- orous Reclamation against unfair crit icisnl,, and a dignified and justifiable protest against invasion of privacy" : 'encratchment upon personal rights and like offenses.
 l Only those behind the curtain of the editorial sanctum can fully appreciate the promotion of insincerity contained : in the virtuous avowals of shy and re- tiring, though weak and human beings l Of both sexes. In nine cases out of ten, the most vociferous protest may be at tributed safely to self-suff1ciency snobbishness or guilty conscience. There is so little of malice in American } newspapers as to be unworthy of no tice, but it is unquestionably true that too little heed is paid to the fact that z unwillful misrepresentation is often N quite as serious In effect.
 - Worst of aiIis the refusal to rectify t a known error. Cursed be the man
 who initiated the policy of never mak- < ing retraction in the columns of his journal. The mere fact that an individ- l ual whether right or wrong, is virtual. [ ly voiceless and helplsss in controversy [ with newspaper, should and does nor ally vest him with the right to excep,
 tional consideration A lie once started } can never be stopped, but the one re l sponsible for it's circulation, directly ol t indirectly, who fails to exert every pos ] sible endeavor to that end is unworthy of association with decent men. Ar q American newspaper should be ar American gentleman.
 To see the right is genius; to do it Is n courage. Unite the two under the ban.
 ner of sane idealism, and the most DO r tent force in the cause of progress, en t lightenment and good will lie in the fret
 press of America. From an Address or e the Twenty fifth Anniversary of tht q Chicago Press Club. S al GQT E PATI S UH0 COST MORE