The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-03-12
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
How II is Menaced by the DictatoriaI
Methods Of the Greedy The
atrical Trust.
(From New York Life.)


A free, fearless and honest press is
the brightest jewel in the crown of a
free and sovereign people.
(This may or may not be quota
tion. We don't know. Any way. It
sounds good. and, what is better. it's
true).
Our fathers on this side and the
other side of the sea fought. bled and
died to win this freedom for us. Our
laws and our courts surround 1t with
their protection.
But what about press that doesn't
care to be free?-a press that cares
more for the pennies and dollars that
1T can gather into its till than II does
about its duty to tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the
truth?
Lately there's been a great to-do be-
tween President Roosevelt and GER
tain section of the press. With the
merits of the discussion this depart
ment OF Life has nothing to do. but IL
has called out so much talk about the
freedom Of the press that it invites
1
the press has not been so insistent on
it's freedom, or, at least, has been
willing to peddle out that freedom at
so much per line agate for its adver-
tising space.
It is a broad assertion, and one
that invites unpopularity, to say that
every man who writes dramatic criti-
cism in New York is Influenced by the
advertising of the Theatrical Trust,
The statement, however. is broadly
true. 1t does not mean that these
writer's do anything that Is dishonest
or that they could be influenced by a
bribe. Many of them are personal
friends Of the present writer. and for
their integrity hewould gladly vouch,
But before their eyes is ever present
the knowledge Of the fates of others
who have been their colleagues. but
who have been discharged from their
positions, driven from their chosen
calling, and even deprived OF their
means of livelihood. because they
had written too freely. too fearlessly
and too honestly Of the enterprises OF
the Theatrical Trust. Knowing the
part that the business once - the
money end Of newspaper-plays in
its editorial affairs, can a writer. no
matter what assurance he may have
from his immediate editorial super
for, write freely and fearlessly when
he knows that at any moment the
owner of the paper. the man who gets
the money 1t makes. may decree his
dismissal because his writings de.
creases the owners income? Is not
this knowledge that the bread and
butter OF himself and those depend.
ent upon him is at stake, bound to
exert its unconscious influence?
In Cincinnati. lately, every theatri-
cal advertisement in all the other
newspapers has carried this line:
I'VE do not advertise in the Times
Star"
In Chicago the bulk Of the theatri.
cal advertisements do not appear in
the Examiner, and the theatrical
managers announce that they do not
advertise in the New York World, on
account of some of its theatrical COM
ment.
Life does not pretend to be conver.
SAINT with the merits Of the contro'
versies indicated by these boycottins
tactics. But it would be too much to
expect that having in mind the exper.
fence of other writer's who have
brought this discipline down on the
pocketbooks of newspaper owners,
the critics on every newspaper should
not be to some extent influenced by it.
The freedom Of the press is great
thing. But when the owners OF the
press protect themselves against
the bribes and threats OF bunch OF
theatrical managers who is going to
have much sympathy for them when
they cry out for protection agains'
other invasions Of their sacred rights