Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-07
THE VERY DREGS OF INFAMY,

There are some newspapers which
have become notorious for colorlng ard
dlstortlng facts ana occurrences IN
such way that the truth is perverted,
the public are deceived and persons
and companies that have the enmity
OF those papers are materially injured
This IL not at all uncommon I'm that
which Is known as yellow journal-
ISM We have frequent Illustrations
OF It in this city But an instance Oh
Tuesday morning Of whole-cloth false
hood. which was exposed IN the local
columns Of Tuesday evenings News"
places the paper convicted Of the Of
Tense IN the very lowest ranks of In
famous newspaperdom
The story thus refuted had not the
slightest basis in truth. not one thread
Of reality IN the whole fabric Of false
hood, not the slightest excuse for its
manufacture, except the diabollcal
hatred Of the concern that published
Il, for company which has been of
incalculable benoft To Salt Lake City.
Not day passes without some malIg-
nant untruth from that evil source, but
we have paid little or no attention to its
scandalous course. In fact, Il has be-
come so ridiculous in It's vain repeti-
tons of libel against individuals who
have incurred its animosity that, In
common with great number OF re-
spectacle non Mormons who take the
paper for the news It is supposed to
contain, we have ceased to notice or
peruse It's billlngsgate, or any OF It's
fourth page drivel
But In the present instance, when we
learned of its pretended report OF n
meeting that never took place, and It's
statements and comments, all Of which
were fabricated without the slightest
particle OF truth. we caused an investl-
cation into the matter, which resulted
IN positive proof that every word OF the
article that appeared in its columns
with flaring headlines and sensational
subheadlngs, was utterly false from
beginning to end, every line being
lie.
The hot words" said TO have been
'passed at a meeting OF the Utah Light
and Railway company held in this city
on Saturday were never uttered
There We're no animated addresses"
made, There was no reference TO the
commerclallsm OF the Church" There
was no discussion OF any bond issue"
There was no talk of "overtures" to
capitalists. There was no animated
debate" or any announcement like
thunderbolt from clear sky There
was no "consternatlon." nor did the
meeting break up soon after" No
such meeting was held. either on last
Saturday or at any time. The entire
production was fake" and Is but
sample of other stories that OCCASION
ally appear in the columns Of that most
Infamous publication.
It's pretended news from distant
points is often as unreliable as this pre-
tended report Of something that never
occurred. Remarks are frequently at
trlbuted In It's doctored correspondence.
10 leading members OF the Mormon"
Church that they did not utter and
these are commented upon in the same
sheet and sometimes copied into other
papers, and thus tho speakers arc mis-
represented and their views aud ex.
pressions are shamefully distorted.
That kind of journalism may last for
time, and its promoters may imagine
that they are accomplishing something
IN the fight which they are waging In
"a jug-handled fashion, In which there
Is no shadow OF attempt 90 fight back. q.
but they really expose themselves to
tho derison and disgust Of decent peo-
pie and hold themselves up IN the
worst possible light Their personal at
tacks upon individuals who seem to
have aroused their lmpotent hatred, are
not worth notice or reply. Their stere-
otyped epIthets ana accuslngs are not
even as forcible as yaporous froth. and
fall utterly tn arousng even anger or
resentment They are too puerie 10
provoke an answer.
But when an attempt is made to give
the public as matters Of news, concoc-
lions OF utter ana deliberate falsehood,
without the least shadow Of real fact.
and simply invented out Of spite and
malice against a company IN which
great home interests are involved, and
the injury of which means damage to
the city and the state, we think It Is
time to enter protest against such
a course and to direct public attention
TO Its yillainy and baseness, Such a
paper Is undeserying OF popular sup
port, aud cannot be relied upon for It's
news any more than II is for It's opln-
ions. 1t is to be thoroughly condemned
or completely ignored.