Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-09-08
sRArrLEBoRo, FRIDAY, SEPT. 9, 1905
mot colored. Born that Way"


state newspapers of yellow journalism
i'm having printed the details OF the
state prison scandal last week. The
Times has been vigorously GAZING
down the investigating committee for
holding one or two secret sessions
which the cause of Justice seemed to
demand: but now that the committee
has made clean breast of every
thing and the public has been accord
ed its right to every last little detaif'
of this piece of public business, the
Times is still dissatisfied. 1t says;
IT is interesting to observe, in this
relation, that the st. Adams Messen-
ger. along with the rest OF the hlghiy
respectable dailies of the state, print.
ed on Saturday every last uetail "
the disgusting Ro;. ers- Rogers scaiioal
at windsor state prison, giving nearly
a column of space to the unexpur-
gated publication of the CONFESSION Oh
the unspeakable woman-not even
blue penciling certain unnecessarily
bald terms for which the English
language furnishes ample substitutes
if not disable synonyms.
The Times doesn't pretend TO pc
prudishly squeamish, but upon It's SOU
il fails to understand what could pe
"yellower'' than the peddling aproau
of all this nastiness in language thaI
rendered the editions of the papers IN
which the confession appeared uhn'
to go into homes where there are CHI
dren of reading age.
Perhaps. after all. there may be
some slight justification for such
thin,.s being kept from the newspapers
of this state. The handling OF TINS
particular bit Of news ORAL by .he
dailies Is almost enough to make the
Times change its point of view.
yellow journalism. as we under
stand it. is a sensational. artihclai COL
oring of facts. 1t is unfortunate for
Vermont that this particular riece OF
state news was luridly yellow by ma
ture It was mot colored, 1t was
born that way" Even the city news
papers did not find it necessary TO
add anything to the plain testimony
offered the committee.
If the scandal had been of prI-
vate nature. a personal. family or even
social affair the printing of its details
would probably not have been con-
sidered for a moment by the state
nress. Vermont newspapers are NOT
sensational. They are clean ana
wholesome. But they are newspapers
designed to give the citizens OF the
communities in which they circulate
the general information they neeo'
particularly on local and state mat
tiers.
The state prison scandal is not
merely bit of unpleasant reading. IL
is a serious state matter, involving
many important questions OF pubic
veal or woe. in which every citizen OF
Vermont is personally concerned ana
for which he should hold himself par
tally responsible. 1t is necessary
that he should know the disgracefui
facts in the case in order that he may
ioin intelligently with other citizens
in making a repetition of the case I'M
POSSIBLE. 1t is only through the col
umns of the state newspapers that
many citizens can gain this khoWl-
ed.e of their own business.
As to the signed statement of Mary
Rogers it seems best that the pubic
should see for itself. through her own
cords as no one else could tell theiii'
inst what kind of a creature respect
able men and women have been agon-
tzing in conscience over. Public sem
timent needed the nauseating potion
It is true that the report OF the
scandal as generally printed was nov
desirable reading for children put u
;s inpossible to edit family news
naner for children without lnJustice ~
adults A clean minded child wouio
,ot no interested in the prison seaman
report and it would do him no liiJurs
If he read tit would simply oissus'
him Parents who have children WIN
;,,,n,oral or vicious tendencies snouiu
themselves exercise necessary censor
shin over the reading matter piaceo
before them. The daily ana Weehiy
newspapers. even in Vermont are MOI
Sunday school or household pupiica
t;ons and must necessarily RECORD
Some crime and immortality.
If the people of Vermont OBJECT ~
yellow news they must see TO IL tha'
the state business is so managed tna'
M more events will be born yellow III
100 institutions. The newspapers
will not color them.