The Ketchikan miner., 1908-03-28
sUBsIDIZING NEWSPAPERS


 Not long ago the. country beheld the unusual spectacle of president of the United States almost directly charg- ing in message te congress that a part of the public press is purchasable and purchased. He used other terms but between the lines that was his terrible indictment He referred, of course, to certain great newspapers that have charged that the panic was brought about by his administration. The same charge with respect to great newspapers has been frequently made Mir. Bryan has asserted it from many a platform and with oft-recur- ring iteration. He has often claimed that the country press is more direct ly concerned in the welfare of the masses and more reflective of the de- sires and hopes of the commonalty. From many other quarters the selfish ness and plutocratic subseryiency of the metropolitan press has been as- serted. but until Theodore Roosevelt, delivering 8 sweeping indictmen, against the lawless and dishonest in- terests of the country. sent his famous special message to congress the coun- try has looked upon the charge with a minimum of credulity.
 It is. however, a fact that many of the great newspapers are control led" Some are bodily owned. Henry Watterson said recently that the day of great editors owning their news papers and directing their editorial utterances in the behalf of the gener- al welfare is species fast passing in this country. For it has been substi- tuted an over-commercialized and propertyized newspaper. Editorials are over-frequently reflective of the interests of the stock gamblers and great holdings of the swollen fortunes. The policy of the paper is asserted from the counting room and editorial writers are directed from the business office. The truth of it all is nightly confirmed by the era of corporation control of the country through which we are passing. Hannaism could nev- CT have risen to the heights and pow CT it reached in this country if there had been an independent and virtuous press to denounce it. The monstrous operations in the Oregon railroad land grants could not have been carried or for more than 30 years in complete violation of law if there had been newspapers to lift the voice of protest. The unwholesome status of American social and economic organization, ith few families controlling 55 per cent of the country's wealth and the mil lions toiling unremittingly and unre- warded heyond the necessaries for their existence is not the idea that nine-tenths hold of what it should be. The wide popularity Theodore Roose- velt has won by denouneing the dis honest processes by which such condi- tions are brought about is substantial proof The forces represented in the desires and hopes of these millions of people could never have been held in subjeetion except through the silent cooperation of mighty portion of the press with the forces of Mamon.
 4 united protest by a united and yirtuous press would long ago have brought about the public sentiment that it has remained for the dauntles> man in the White House to vitaliZe and awaken into action. The same
 voice of the same press could quickly drive from the United States senate the men who stand as bar to legisla- ton that does not serve the trusts and could speedily reform that body by compelling it to yield to popular cleo ton of senators, but even here in Ore gon we have few newspapers oppOs- ing such reform. The spectacle recalls Theodore Roosevels's special message on the subjec. of a venal press and Mr. Bryan's assertion that after all the country press is the surest and best friend of the masses. The atti- sude of the country press iD Oregon at the present time seems to prove it. Oregon Journal.