Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-25

utility
In the New York independent Of
October IS, we find the subjoined ar
tIcIe on 1.-THE Scandal of Criminal
journalism" II Is IN full accord With
the views and sentiments expressed
by the News" on that subject, and
we take the liberty Of copying II In
toto. The Independent is one OF the
best edited periodicals OF the country,
and Il Yields considerable influence.
1t says,
I'VE don't know how Il will be done,
| but we predict that II VIII be done. Tins
| day viii come, and we predict fui thei
that II win come soon. when the sleeN
can newspaper With q pretty big circu-
| latlon, a bigger advertising patronage
"a large share OF which is derived from
and dIgnified proprietor Of some Amerl-
crime OF one kind or another--and a
brag and bluff that are bigger than
circulation and advertising put together
viii be hustled OF TO his own place TO
stay there for five or ten years. That
place we presume our readers UNDER
stand. Is the State prison.
THE scandal of great deal OF our
American Journalism has become too
grievotis TO be borne tamely much long"
err Neither the reputation OF worthy
men nor the virtue of pure women IL
any longer safe from the bloodhounus
OF gang Of newspaper thugs, fully
hall Of whom are mlllionaires, ana
some OF whom pose as philanthropists:
As observers Of what Is doing around
about US, We are looking 10 see what
A. ~ han h. N
prey inadvertently attack tho home OF
person Unexpectedly powerful, with
good tiger fighting blood In him. who
will turn ard take the bloodhound BY
the throat. The thing Is bound to hap
pen as surely as the world turns round.
The sooner the better
"A few days ago lady widely known
for her interest In education, trustee
OF one Of the leading colleges for wom-
on, told the story OF her personal ex-
perience with one Of these defamers OF
character. Assuming that she stated
the whole truth and nothing else, the
newspaper that lied about her did 20
wantonly, In full possession OF the act
ual facts, Cash damages amounting 10
five thousand dollars were paid and ac-
cepted That this lady should have
compromised so easily we think was
most unfortunate. for the interest Of So
ciety. She should have pushed her case
until somebody was landed behind pris-
on bars.
1T is disappointing that the victims
Of criminal journalism have thus far
submitted so tamely to these outrages.
II is yet more disappointing that reput-
able newspapers have not unltediy tax
en- action, within their competence. 10
drive from the community the creatures
that are making great profession
by-word and n curse TO the American
people. There is no more reason why
the men who control newspapers that
are both decent and powerful and con-
troll also the avenues through which
news is obtained, should not clean up
their environment as effectually as the
VIgiants Of California and OF Montana
cleaned up theirs In the days of the cut.
throat gangs, 1t would not be neces'
sary TO resort to midnight lynchings 10
order TO achieve this end.
1--WE wish 90 put II straight to the
proprietors and editors OF journals like
the New York Sun. the Times the TIL
bune, and the Evening Post. tho Chlca-
go Tribune, and the Reoord-Herald. and
a score Of other journals, both powerful
and reputable, covering every part Of
the American Union: Do you see no
way TO bring your forces unifedlv to
bear to stamp out this Infamous evil?
Are you doing absolutely all that you
can do TO hold your own reporters and
editorial writer's to a high ana strict
standard Of honor9 II you are, Is there
nothing else that YOU can resort to?
You are supposed TO voice the opinion
and conscience Of the American people,
And you must know by now that opln-
ion and that conscience are getting very
tired OF this disgraceful buccaneering
conducted under the flag OF liberty OF
the press In our own humble way
we have various means OF testing the
public temper and we assure you that
unless you express and represent II In
this matter, Il VIII find some other way
to make itself felt,
at is up 70 you gentlemen, TO do
something. and 10 do II soon"
The defense Is sometimes made for
tho kind Of journalism denounced by
tho Independent, that undertaking
Is necessary Without 1t, II is argued,
there would he no clean premises. Nor
al ilth would accumulate indefinitely.
But this argument is arrant hypocrisy.
Those engaged III that kind OF work
never have the moral condition Of the
community In view. They are In II for
the money they can make, or for other
advantages they hope to reap. The
best proof OF this Is that they never
rake their own promises, or those of
their immediate friends and supporters
on the contrary. the policy of conceal
ment, denial, and explanation is applied
to their own rubbish, while they are
engaged In exposing that OF their oppo-
nents. The supposed concern for the
purity OF the moral atmosphere is
therefore. seen to be only a pretense.
II Is true that cleaning UP is needed
regularly, but. when necessary, It
must be done by those whose business
II is 90 do so, and at proper times aud
under certain regulations. Every city
has found It necessary to regulate by
ordinances the disposal OF refuse and
unless these regulations are complied
with, the very process OF cleaning up
would become a menace to the health
Of the community. In this the scam
dal-monsers Of the press sin against the
public. They defy all rules of decency
In their undertaking and thus he.
come a mena, to public morals. Hence
the protest.
A