The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-27
NEWSPAPERS AIM
SHOULD Be FOR
DECENCY
JAMES scHERMERHoRN TELLS
EDITORS OF THE MICHIGAN
ASSOCIATION HOW TIE DE-
TRolT TIMES is CONDUCTED.

FLINT. Mich. Feb % Special
Mir James Schermernorn, president
and general manager OF The Detroit
Times. was the principal speaker To-
day before the Michigan Press asso'
citation. which is holding It's annual
meeting here. editors from all parts OF
the state being in attendance.
Patriot penman Publisher, was
Mr.. Schermerhorn' topic, his address
being the same rs that delivered be-
fore the Buckeye Press association In
Springfield. Ohio, Thursday evening.
The speaker said:
Mr. President and Members OF the
Michigan Press Association.
There WAS a spiritual wayfAreT VINO
fought his way through great trials
and sore obstacles 20 glory. The hero
OF this pilgrim progress was Chris
tisn'
There is an editorial wight who
I sometimes comes up out o. great triou
/ lat.ons and difficulties into prosperity
OR the postoface. The record ma ker
! fl this pilgrims progress We call Pa
I triot Penman. Publisher
Long association with country pub
fishers As fellow craftsman ana .9hs
familiarity with their ideals aHd activi-
ties convince me that ! am calling tnis
latter-day survivor Of che slough "
Despona and seeker or the ethical
Wicket Gate by his right name
believe the country publisher IL pa
triotic. as a rule. Personal journalism
( OF the old school. now almost alien 70
the complex metropolitan prcss, sur
I wives IS him what he stands for, gen
) orally speak iug. is for the civic better
ment and material progress OF the COM
; munity r. local uplitt ne contributes
1 moro than any other class.
( He does this both by granting space
Z in his columns 20 al good causes and
I ny what ne advocates himself as an
editor and as a citizen lie i almost
/ invariably = good preacher " the word
of social and business regeneration.
I Good Preacher, Hut Not Always Docr.
I lie Is not alas. always as good Il
Generally because competition -
! tragiCaAy keen and he would Ike -
[ live " is long time between sub
/ scrfptfon settirutnts--or was at least.
until Patriot Penmau. Publisher. was
able 10 warn MS subscribers, In the
name OF Jnctr sam, that oNefdu" SUI
Z scriptious could not be served AT the
second class postage rate. The gov
eminent spake the threatenins word he
was reluctant 10 speak by his own
mouth 60 his longtime patrons.
Because OF the precariousness OF the
craft then. some things In the bust
ness section Of Patriot Penmans news
paper have been at variance with his
honest desire TO be q molder 80 healthy
public opinion q force for good.
In seeking 70 cast out tho beam from
his neiChhor's eye he has overlooked
the mote fn his own eye for business.
tits adverttsing has not chimed with
his advocacy.
re has applauded the presidential
hecudgeling OF dishonest business
methods AMI hrs said Amen when
wealthy maiofactors were coming in
for condemnation.
Yet at thr same time Patriotic Pen
man may have been standing by and
conscnting 20 tho numbering Of the
many hv the Few through the sale OF
his space 20 medical charlatans or In
vestuient frauds Opportunities 10 buy
Bubble Preferred or pint bottles al
rect from Ponce de Icons Fount ain
adjoining OF directly following editor
ials entitled Let the Good work 30
re may have added his hearticst m
dorseneut 10 the national movement
for conserving the Wealth OF the people.
especially the splendid and unselish
fight for the overthrow OF IN" whit"
plague; vet his newspaper may con-
tinue 10 make 10 possible for imposteTs
To fatten at the expense OF the count
less victims Of consumption by oHer-
ing alleged certain cures Tor them 70
grasp at la their hopelessness and de-
spair.
Patriot Penman may say. and mean
II "Spped the dav when child life viii
be protected against industrial greed.
and glaring evils OF divorce and race
suicide shall b. abolished through a
higher standard ~ morality In Inc
family" Yet his own paper IuaY. week
after week carry into the home tltc
poisonous and abomlnable private med
! ical phrase0loEv that despoils youthtul
imaglnetions OF their purity and facili-
tates the very practices that threaten
ultimate race extinction.
Wrong Sanctioned w Long Usage.
Yet Patriot pennan would not be 2
worker OF iuiQuity deliberately lie
has gone on following the practice that
had obtained in newspaper offices for
time imncmorial. aud he never stopped
u consider TIE ethical aspect OF the
thing tie has been 50 powerfully busy
preaching righteousness ia the multi
/ tudc mat he has overlooked the de
tail of being strictly righteous MIN
/ self.
There is nothing unique about tho
new paper publisher in this matter.
/ f;elng i'm the world. Patriot Penman IS
of ne world in his method Of getting
on 10 too has heard the golden
huglc call 10 he UP and accommodating.
worlds revclllc throughout the con
structivc axe ~ It's progress. got "
untatntedly. n possible but set it,
Bur row Patriot Pcnman has heard
this signal die away IN mouruful "a
d,noos He has chronioled tho undoinS
90 insurance and railway presidents.
bankers. packers food and drug manu-.
facfurtrs. postal sharks. WttriWonial
bureaus and race track gamblers
Ills eyes have scen the coming or
the Riorv ~ n better day I'm business.
tfll lIf fif~ proc ~ fili'.fl Nv lNf t4.AN -
has heard the call 90 higher personal
and national morality and he has ap-
proved II heartily
+ ethical pom. Patriot Tcnuau. Publisher,
must not turn back Before he can
) caqt any stones at rurrcut Intduities
DO must Doe without sir himself As
Z Righteousness must be individual he
tore u can b" national tho palladium
of the pcople liberties must keep -
self uuFpottod from the world
\ Three Peasons Tor Immediate Reform,
II in NdvcrtisinR.
II For one reason. because Patriot Pen
l. man. Publisher. Processes 40 be some
thng more tHaH 'omucFciallsf. re
asptTcs Go hv puhlle educator and as
such gets special rat. from the nos
\ form az tls inutth 20 July celebration
For another reason because y T. the
answer Of tho Itrh maietartors when
ovcrtaS. n Dos q fgult that they ate
= only doing Whit everybody else would
DO ~ they had % CHARGE They aIe
/ all 40 en- fhe Uucarflvd dollar. tUCy
say. "wEetLer DO he r"hatts. tariN laN
OrS oI auv FORM az tainted wealth
i IL lis Patriot F'umaH.s mission TO
show hv tlo spoti'ssucss OF Nis pages
that this Indictment however tIue W
+ has been 900 the past. fs NOW false,
that hc has tasted and SCI u thut % is
good tp know some patrons pnhil o.
4 pp dorH lat want some earnings hc
D renounccs some methods hs 'sr0rre Tor
principle Sake. lnt!i this necpm' g
the Test OF OnIuulctclat integrity we
. shall fuII 4|.Hff Cd veal NAT iUTe.f great a