The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1906-05-04
PERsoNAL LorRNALIsM.


Personal JOURNALISM.
As this paper has always eh.med
the right 70 critcise other professions
and calliugs ia life. ii seems only
justice to call attention to a Few Of
the many mistakes in our own line Of
business A. we eudeayor 10 make
this paper home paper perhaps
The Home Circle Column is a fitting
place 10 point ont some Of the evils
OF the press as We view them
There was time when the news
paper echoed the uoblcst sentiments.
when our greatest men and women
We're proud to speak through It's
columns Those days are past Cool.
courteous argument Is seld1m found
IN the newspapers Of today neither
Is there any dignity in their criii
cism Now We find religious news
and the quotations from the stock
exchange side by side They pander
20 the bad instinct OF The money seek
err They accuse without pity and
defend without reason They elevate
and pun down regardless Of merit
But why IS 1t so2 Why this lamen-
table transition in the press Of our
country The cause Of this change
Is sadder than the fact itself The
people demand just such press 4
noble disnined press can only be
possible when a noble public demands
1t An unhealthy desire 10 satisfy
a longing for gross pleasures has
made our newspapers what they are
Journalists admit the evil effects Of
sensational reports OF criminal acts
and admit that NJ person has the
right TO SOW the seeds OF disease
IN the physical body OF his fellow
men. yet they are guilty Of sowing
moral and mental disease, which IS
a far greater crime Many read the
newspapers, who are on the border
Of irresponsibility and suggestions q
crime easily take root in such minds
The siCkening details Of diabolical
crimes are sources of evil. Blood
curdhng headlines draw the attention
OF those who are hungry for adyen-
ture. and the young are especially
damaged by what they lead TO. Il
Is true there Is 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, loves
thar which Is beautiful and will lay
. It's tiny fingers on the petals Of a
, flower and show it's admiration long
; before Il can lisp word.
, The demand for immortal papers IS
sad comment on the tendencies Of
! the times and the temptation u en-
; sure large circulation by plndering
! to the tastes for the vicious, has led
many Of them 70 prostitute their pw-
ity in order to place them on fl
nancial basis We have journalists
who would scorn the reader, yet
. such papers are generally the ones
? who suffer for want of patronage.
. DIR. Adams of the Advance says, The
, newspaper men come nearer holding
the helm OF opinion than any other
5 class OF men. They have the whole
: world for an audience We have
5 them with out breakfast The break
: fast goes TO the body and the news
} paper 70 the moral system If our
coffee were poisoned every morning
e the race would soon die. II you put
! poison into the newspaper the race
e will soon be bad Many newspapers
give three columns to sensational
divorce and three lines 10 the notice
Of golden wedding
$ These pests Of journalists never
hesitate to invade the homes Of sor-
: row and so picture to the world the
sacred anguish OF stricken hearts
a They expose to view the long hidden
1 skeleton found In so many closets
!. They have the audacity TO pry into
5 the affairs Of the family. We read
that the Athenians were famous FOL