The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-21
PRESS ONCE UNDER
SUSPICION IS
MANNED
Bonaparte Inveighs Against
Newspaper Deception
SNEERS AT TRADE ORGANS
Editor Who Has No Definite Opinions
on Public Questions Is Only Try.
Ing to Pose.

PROVIDENCE, Il. l.. Nov. 21.-Ths
election of officers Of the National Mu'
nicipal league was accomplished with
out contest, all except the third, fourth
and fifth vice presidents being reflect.
ed. The result was as follows: Presi.
dent, Charles J. Bonaparte Of Balti'
more; vice presidents. Charles Richard.
son Of Philadelphia, Thomas n. Strong
of Portland, Ore. Henry L. McCune OF
Kansas City, Walter l.. Fisher Of Chi.
cago and James =. Baxter Of Portland,
Me-: secretary, Clinton Rogers Wood
ruff of Philadelphia; treasurer, George
Burnham, Jr., of philadelphia.
In the course OF an address on Gov.
ernment by Public Opinion Attorney
General Bonaparte said in part:
Certain of our newspapers, includ.
ing some whose influence within my
memory-indced. within but compar.
atively few years-was a power, and a
power for good, in the community, are
now frrily and widely believed to be
virtually or even literally owned by
well known interests in other words,
by wealthy men engaged in far reach
ing enterprises. This widespread and
very confident belief rs TO such owner.
ship makes them virtually trade or,
gans, with but little more influence
than the papers published avowedly as
such, and, what Is even more unfortu,
nate, 1t leads to a very general suspi,
cion that other papers may be secretly
in the same situation
"a newspaper under suspicion il al
most as MANNED for healthy influence
as IL the suspicion had been proved
well founded, for the Legitimate and
salutary power OF a newspaper lies in
its showing and being thought to
show the first thought OF the ordi.
nary citizen on all matters of current
public interest In showing this II does
the community double service. II
gives shape and direction to public
opinion, and II enormously increases
the latter's force. The greater mass Of
mankind does not know what they
really think until somebody tells them
They recognize their own opinions
when these are expressed for them by
another. Then and only then are they
ready to act
ut must be remembered In this con.
nection that an editor Is necessarily
politician, or. at all events he ought
TO be one. Unless he has definite opin-
ions on all questions Of general public
interest and Is ready to express them
he has no business to be an editor. In
deed, he IL not an editor. but Is only
trying to pass himself off as one. In
fact, an editor is a politician whether
he wishes to be or not. If he will not
speak Oh subjects connected with poll
tics his very silence is way of deal.
ing with them.
There is one thing which the news.
papers must do If they would be in
this field or In any other an agency
for good, and that Is to think and tell
the truth. The first duty Of the press
Is to hold up before tfc people faith
full mirror. If 1t display distorted pic
lures 1t fatally betrays its trust. No
worthy end was ever accomplished
through deception, whether Of our
selves or others. II we are threatened
BY overshadowing dangers, to escape
them We must first see them and SEQ
them as they are. Americans can say
with confidence, We will know the
truth, and the truth shall make W
free"