The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-08-16
course, there are deplorable features in

ulSut soy 1ouilos IL lS tucSS CIoiCS
that receive the attention of critical
observers. They direct your attention
to the bad peculiarities and bewail
the printing of news relative to the
happenings in places of vice, the
immoral conduct of individuals-in
short, the general tone of printed
news. One cannot conscientiously
contend that there are no noticeable
evils, but faults are apparent to some
persons in every establishment con-
Quoted for the benefit CT the public
nor should enc expect perfection in
any organization guided by the hand of
man or managed by the intellect.
But what do the periodicals print |
that is pernicious to society? Some
opine that newspapers print stuff
which is unfit to enter home. My
observation leads me to believe that
the good contained therein far out
weighs the Objectionable features.
The pedantics advise one to store his
mind with cogitations of the masters,
who have left works teeming with con-
ceptions which the Federal authorities
would not permit the periodicals of
today to print. Young America may
derive good instruction from the
masterpieces, pastime reading from
the ten-cent editions, useful informa-
tion from the half-a-dime journals,
| ood q littIo of ooob from tbo canton
the-car, penny-on-the-street, or copper
on-the-corner sheets. There is
perhaps more mind-corrupting matter
lnterspersed among the compositions
of the old-school writer's than in the
writings of today. This is exemplified
in the poetry of Chaucer and Shakes
peare, etc.; and those who deplore the
terms used by reporters would un-
doubtedly prefer to have their wives,
daughters, and sons read the works
OF Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, Vir-
gill Homer, etc. These writers GER
tainly employed plain terms and
alluded to questionable actions, places,
and depicted scenes in immoral haunts.
Yet, some assail the press of today,
bewail the tendency for sensation in
dicated by the patronage of yellow
; journals. 1t is these papers, suppos-
edly containing the effervescent effu-
; sions of journalistic puppets, that
receive the repugnant sarcasms of
certain writer's. But their views have
about as much effect on the public
tendency as SNOWFALL in Alaska.
Speaking of this class of papers,
> Norman Hapgood, editor of Golfers
!. Weekly, recently said: "The so-called
l respectable and conservative press is
open to much of the same criticism
. that has been directed against yellow
. journalism, which has its faults. 1t
. was the first to shake the newspapers
!. !. out of the old rut and give them new
vigor. Before the advent of this class
u of journals there was no organ among
\ the conservative press to speak down to
, the people. 1t was the consequence Of
;. a young growing democracy and had
- for its purpose the establishment Of 9
,, press wherein the laboring classes
would have expression"
D Of course we all have our private
% opinions as to what is proper and i'm
proper, pure and impure, wholesome
- and unwholesome, in the press; bu
Is one should concede that the judgmen
- of nation is true manifestation
Is that satisfaction is derived from lib
: eral printing. There may be faults il
% this or that print, which is plain to al
70 OR more so to q few. This is to b.
- expected; and, as Creswell McLaugh
'. lin said: "a fool will find flaw II
- the finest work Of art"
N Every institution which serves tn
or American people and is maintained b
as them, is conducted on certain princi
9 pies essential to tho best interests o
he the diversified classes In this country
he Without g fixed principle what woul
ne the freedom of speech and printing be
be A delusionl The demand of thos
O. who braved the tumultuous waves an
TX an unknown country little over
century ago was liberal voice /
sil those matters concerning themselve
Iy individually and collectively. Thi
Ill was the spirit which guided the color
0f lists and apparently the reason for 81
81 ss