The Washington herald., 1908-01-01

We fear that some of its contempora-
ries, especially some OF those In the rural
districts do not fully appreciate that
dignihed and widely circulated journal,
the Congressional Record The Rio
Grande CTex) News, for example, pays
its respects to the Capitals every Con-
gressional day publication in manner
which is distinctly sarcastic, not to say
eontemptuous. Hear il:
"The News returns thanks to Congressman John
n Garner for putting us on the exchange list with
that great daily. the Congressional Record. The
Record is fine paper. but the editor seems to have
been lost in the shuttle and the paper is edited
almost wholly by Congessmen and Senators, mostly
with interviews OF themselves. The advertising
patronage is on the bum. We are glad TO get the
Record. Wood is s. a cord here and the cold
weather Just setting n hence the Record comes IN
handily. The copy that had Jef Davis speech IN
| it almost exploded the stove
We feel sure that the Record will stand
on its dignity and make no reply to this
unkind attack and we are therefore inn
PEELED to say a few words in its behalf
/ We admit that il is a little heavy. and
that it has other faults. but surely the
I
Rio Grande goes too far in his animad-
/ versions. 1t has a purpose 10 fulfill. and
succeeds nObly. Since Jem Davis name
1 has been mentioned, where, may we ask,
could the millions of admirers of that
patriot and statesman have found the
/ full text of the speech which he hurled
in the teeth of the gray wolves of the
Senate the other day had the Record
not been in existence? All the other
newspapers III the country, leagued. doubt
less. In a base conspiracy against the
puissant giant of Arkansaw. dismissed
his mighty forensic effort in space rang
ing from a stick to a column or so. But
the Record, ever conscientious and faith
fuI to the trust reposed in it. did complete
justice to Jeff-the-trust-k killer and gave
every word of his address. to say nothing
of numerous loud applauses, prolonged
cheers" &c
It is automatic that the public is al
ways better ftted to conduct a newspaper
than the editor-or thinks it is-and here
again the Record scores heavily. despite
the effort OF the weekly down on the
Mexican border 10 discredit IL on this
very account The gentle, doWntrodden
legislator has things all his own way,
which is eminently proper for as they
say in Anacostia, look who he is, II
in the heat of debate he applies a shorter
and uglier word to another gentle legis-
lator he knows that the Record Will sup
press the news the next morning, no mat
ter how great "a sensation the lay papers
so to speak. may make Of the incident
He knows, because he will edit the copy
himself OF course. the Record at once
ceases TO be a record. but what Of that
when the tender, susceptible feelings of
our lawmakers are concerned?
AS for the large size Of some issues of
the publication, think what it means to
be thus Indifferent TO the exactions of the
paper trust. What other paper would
print all OF those long and more or less
able speeches, messages, and debates
with such a lordly disregard of cost?
And even the editor of the Rio Grand5
News. carplng critic though he is, is
forced 10 admit that the Record makes
fine fuel In view OF all the circum-
stances. We fail TO understand how any
fair-minded individual can believe other
wise than that the journal which the
busy presses of the Government Printing
Office give TO us is a grand, glorious and
/ indispensable institution.