The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-07-26
Newspapers: Fl Monograph.

tions, are not infrequently the subjects
for criticism at the hands of foreign
ers, but, as rule, such criticism is de-
void of real value in that 1t is neither
accurately made nor temperately ex-
pressed. Among other things, good,
bad. and Indifferent, we have been ac-
cused Of being newspaper-schooled
nation. At first thought this would
seem to be cause for congratulation,
inasmuch as the modern newspaper
especially if it be of the American
type--is an institution of learning,
with an outlook of amszing catholicity.
1t embraces curriculum almost un-
limited in scope, interpreted by more
I trained intellects, in more class rooms,
with far wider matriculation among
all classes of society than all Of the
other schools of the world combined.
Therefore, to be called newspaper
taught people would ordinarily seem
to be in the nature of compliment,
and it can be considered as structure
upon our standards of taste only when
it shall have appeared to our satisfac-
tion that these schoolmasters of the
common people have divorced them
selves from the formerly high ideals
which gave them prestige, and en-
barked upon a course as inherently
vicious in tendency as it is undemo-
cratic in principle.
A few decades ago, before humanity
so openly worshiped as worth what
ever was glamored with gold, news
papers were conducted with reference
to the good of the community. They
reflected the views of those who could
be identified, hence they had back of
them a character and conscience.
They were not dominated and con-
trolled by policy of selfishness, and,
notwithstanding that their motto was
not: "Will it payp" but: "Is it right p
they were self-supporting, thereby
withstandlng the only infallible test
of genuine success, whether weighed
in economic scales or tested with bust
ness acids. Accuracy and justice, in
stead of record-breaking celebrity and
greed, were the supreme requisites
and matter was presented without
prejudice or partisan bias, without in
fluence by money, or promise of any
material advantage, either direct OF
indirect.
They faithfully and impartially
voiced the hopes and fears, the sor
rows and joys, the wants and aspira
tions, of the people whose confidence
they respected and whose suppor
, they received because they merited it
!. They recorded the personal events o
interest to their readers, and stood as
battlement between imposition and tn
: people, as eager to herald the wrong
of the poor as to flatter the vanity ant
fancies and foibles of the rich. The.
!. were the first to champion crusad
against unwholesome conditions, an
:, the first to defend righteous cause.
= They advocated the principles o
good government, preached morality
practiced it, and respected the tenet
:. of Christianity. They were )he frs
to welcome the spirit of progress i
:. their respective localities and eve
. ready to speed any movement in tn
> interest of the public welfare. The
: were the sunlight of the communit,
). constantly carrying wholesome pull
"a licity into the dark places, and the fae
> that they occasionally made mistake
y or championed a questionable polio.
# does not offset the good they did, th
- wrongs they served to right, or th
q vicious schemes they exposed to th
!. detriment of men not endowed wit
- the better qualities Of heart an
~ mind.
= The editor himself usually owne
i. the paper, hence he was somethin
re- more than a mere journalistic puppe
le and, 90 the policy Of the paper was d
+. termined and controlled by his col
= science alone, many of the editoria
y were necessarily written by his ow
i. hand. AS q rule he, was honest, col
le sistent, and able, possessing Gle.
discriminating mind and . personalil
u both vigorous and intellectual. As |