The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-05-11
Personal JOURNALISM.

PERSONAL JOURNALISM
As this PAPER las always claim
ed tie right TO criticise other pro
fessions and callingS in life, it
seems ouly justice TO call atten-
tiou to a few of the many mis-
takes in our own line Of business.
As We eDdeayor to make this a
"home paper" perhaps the Home
Circle Column Is fitting place
TO point out some of the evils of
the press, as We view them.
There was a time when the
newspaper echoed the noblest
sentiments, when our greatest
men aud women were proud TO
speak through lis colu ID ;.
TEo>e days are past. Cool, court
eouS argument is seldom found in
the newspapers of today; neither
is there any dignity in their crit
ici>mS. Now We find the relig
ions news and the quotations
from the stock exchange side by
side They pander 10 the bad
instincts OF the money seeker
They accuse without pity and
defend without reason. Tbey ell
evate d pull down regardless
of merit. But why i it so! Why
this lamentable transition in the
press of our countryi The cause
of this change is sadder than the
fact itself The people demand
just such press. \ noble. dig.
nifed press can only be possible
when noble public demands it.
An unhealthy desire to satisfy
a logging for gross pleasures has
made our newspapers what they
are. Journalists admit the evil
effects OF sensational reports of
criminal acts, aud admit that no
person has the right 10 SOW the
seeds of disease in the physical
body of his fellow-meD; yet they
are guilty OF sowing moral and
mental disease, which Is a far
greater crime. Many read the
newspapers. who are on the
borders of irresDonsibility aud
suggestions of crime easily take
root in such minds. The Sicken.
ing details of diabolical crimes
are sources Of evil. Blood curd
ling headlines draw the attention
of those who are hungry for ad-
venture, aud the young are rs
pecialiy damaged by what they
lead to. 1t is true that there are
a class of readers, who repudiate
all that is impure in literature,
as The child before its mind is
contaminated with the base and
vulgar elements in life, Ives
that which is beautiful and will
lsy its tiny fingers on the petals
of flower and shows its admira
ton long before it can lisp a
word.
Tie demand for immoral pa
pers is a sad comment on the
tendencies OF the times and the
temptation TO ensure a large cir
culalion by pandering TO the
tastes OF the visions. has led
many of them to prostitute their
purity in order TO place them on
financial basis. We have Jour
Daiists who would scorn to pub.
lish ought that would corrupt
the reader, Yet such papers are
generally the ones who suffer for
want of patronage. DR.. Adams
OF the AdrGnce says: "The news
paper men come nearer holding
the helm of opinion than any
other class Of men. They have
the whole world for an audience.
We have them with our breakfast.
4 breakfast goes to the body
and the newspaper to the moral
system. If our coffee were p0is-
oned every morning the race
would soon die. If you put poiS-
on into the newspaper the race
will soon te bad" Many news
papers give three columns to
sensational divorce aud three
lines to the notice Of a 'golden
wedding"
These pests of journalism never
hesitate to invade the homes of
SORROW and so picture 10 the
world the sacred anguish of strick-
en- hearts They expose to view
the long hidden skeleton found
il so many closets. They have
- - - 49, int tha &c