The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-08


soon IS the revision was completed
was extolled by every paragrapher for
its scoop.
Like everything else that Is great
and good, the press bas a tendency uu.
duly to magnify its o6ice. In recoe.
nizing the individual it should not rob
him Of his individuality by doing all
his work for him The plea for the
social scheme Of government is that
it protects the individual. The anti
social philosopher contends that the
strong man has the right to rise. The
big fellow agrees to that, knocks down
his weaker brethren and makes steps
of them That is individualism ton
heavy But education is wiser Leav-
ing the adult alone it develops the
children and saves the race. So the
newspaper will make a mistake if it.
is too many kinds Of an errand boy.
Il takes many units TO make society.
and the newspaper, though the most
powerful, is only one and should keep
off the others grass. Consider, then.
the limitations Of the press as a social
servant
The press should De a prophet and
not an organizer The brand new Eli
jah Mr. Dowie who breaches his
peoples sermons, signs their deeds and
spends their money, is a social peryert.
He Is autocracy and not democracy.
The 80 @spaper that organizes cru.
sades. draws bills for congress. starts
funds for one purpose or another.
and is the custodian and almoner of
contributions is like the mother who
in excess Of devot on or Of restless
ness does her childs work. Let the
newspaper be the worlds narrator
and by generalizing from the facts
be the worlds guide But let it leave
to the people the organization OF their
public activities, so tha. the news
paper proprietor may take his own /
part as a citizen, and no more. In the |
active benevolences and philanthro- /
pics of life do not question the mo-
tive of this diversified energy, which |
may be sincerely charitable or merely |
self-glorying ] mean that If my right 1
hand does my left hands work, there /
will be imperfect growth and atrophied
power.
"Nor should the newspaper in it's
zeal for service be & policeman This
much vaunted detective work Of news.
papers does not show keenness, but a
lack of clear vision. The mistress Of
the house may be able to cook bet
ter than the hired servant, but will
be foolish if she dons the cap to do
the cooks work. The result of news
paper bluecoatism is seen in the com
exposing or alleging Of
fetal delinquency and ending: BE
sure not TO publish my name The
day Will come when newspapers will
refuse to print communications anon
ymous TO either the publisher or The
-eader
Nor do think the newspaper
should publish the last word in the
domain of the expert. Properly it
nay present special articles in ey-
cry field of exploration, but beyond
iclaring first principles it should not
prescribe instead of the doctor or ar
que for the lawyer or analyze for
he chemist Or preach for the
preacher? when theology becomes an
exact science, so that any two theo-
ogians agree as to its context ] will
.ay Or preach for the preacher. But,
n fact, theology is the science of the
newspaper The voice of the people
S the voice of God, and the news
'aDer is the voice of the people.
Do regard the social service of
he press as complete and satisfac-
ory? l do not The press is per
orming for society a grand office-
he grandest outside of the nursery.
But, like many of the people its daily
work. is as a custom regulated by the
ash register and recoTded by the
nan on the bookkeeper's stool, or
S done for the lust Of business. What
hope for the press is that It may
perceive its mutual relationship in so
iety and remember that the edito- ,
ial we is subseryient to the all see
ng eye.
Il shall take time to mention only
ne more aspiration for the press in
Is social service but that one is all
Inclusive I wish for the press that
may cease TO be narrow and learn
D be broad ! am a believer in par +
acI ] believe Ia selfshness. Z
ut in both as means to an end. and
hat cad the rejoicing in all things
he lawyer-like advocacy that sees
o evil in it6 own case and no good
D the other Is petty and has come
D be sort Of fetch, a thing Of habit. fl
o that the newspaper editor is much d
lora maGanimous in his private
han n his public judgment. To say
nat the sharply defined currents are q
lore useful than the sea Is TO say :
nat the waters are valueless when