The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-01
New York Newspapers at War
With Head of the Nation.
PEN PICTURE OF PULITZER
Famed Publisher Came to America q
Penniiess Immigrant; Once a Walter
In Saloon and Coachman.
IBY GLENN GUERNSEY.l

| [eY GLENN GUERNsEYl
New York, Dec. 26.-Now that the
smoke of battle has cleared away and
the roar and crash of combat have
become but an echo, New Workers are
beginning to take serious ana sober
note of the recent warfare between
Washington and Park Row. That two
great metropolitan newspapers should
have so offended against the proprie-
ties as to merit public condemnation
Of the president of the United States
is thing unprecedented. 1t is yet
too early to Judge whether President
Roosevet's structures will have seri-
ous and lasting effect upon the influ-
ence of the journals involved. Certain
ly, no event of recent years has caus-
ed such furry in the journalistic
circles of Park Row, and enhere OPP
inion is divided as to the merits of the
controversy.
Few persons were surprised when
the president attacked The Sun. What
ever else he may be, Mr.. Roosevelt
is earnest, direct and natural-a imam
nal of circumlocntion. 1t is utterly
lacking in the capacity for stamch and
steadfast adherence to policy. 1t is
bright, witty, satirical, much given to
classical allusion and caustic criti
cism, hut as devoid of fixed construc
tive principles as a Mexican dog of
hair
Compared With Vcltaire.
What Voltaire was among writer's
the Sun is among newspapers-a cynic
and n mocker, laughing at all the
world, and hiding its own superior
wisdom in multiplicity of words.
pensing bitter insults in sugar-coated
pills Of flattery and abiect apology,
could hardly have surpassed the Suns
brief compliments" to The president.
Between a man like Roosevelt, and a
newspaper like the Sun, there must of
necessity be natural and bitter an
tipathy. The presidents savage on
slaught was a thing to be expected.
The Suns polished and caustic reply
was matter of course.
Between Roosevelt and a Pulitzer
the sources of animosity are more
closedly associated with the direct
cause of the wordy warfare, and less
a matter of wide divergence in at
are hundreds of thousands of New
Workers, and among them many adj
mirers of the president, who believe
that the ideals of modern journalism
come nearest to fullfllment in the
Pulitzer papers. To such as these
the violent structures of the president
are matters of much moment. 1t is no
small thing to see the reputation of a
friend dragged in the dust, whether
that friend be human or a thing OF
ink and wood pulp. Drawn to the fine
point of question of veracity' be-
tween the president and Mr. Pulitzer,
lowing.
Views of the Unprejudiced.
Meanwhile, the unprejudicde and
observant are inclined to the belief
that both parties to the controversy
have been unduly severe in their criti-
cisms Granting the probability that
the Panama story was grave error,
it is yet hardly such as to merit the
utter damnation of the past, present
and future, of the newspaper which
gave it publicity. Those who do
things, whether it be running news
paper or nation. make mistakes, and
President Roosevelt should be among
the first to recognize this fact. So say
those whose interest in the contro
versy is neither hot nor cold.
Whatever of serious moment may
result from the warfare of words, it
has not been without its element of
humor. William Randolph Hearst, the
Saint William of the Fourth Estate.
wearing upon his god-like brow the
shining halo of journalistic holiness
his reputation of spotless purity I'M
sullied by any suspicion of inveracity
-ah, it is indeed a joyous sight to
witness this sainted William pointing
to his rival, Pulitzer, as a horrible ex-
ample of the results of sensational
methods in journalism.
Mr.. Pulitzer 'came to this country
as a penniless immigrant" charges
Saint William. Gle slept at firstN on
the benches in the park. He got his
first work as a waiter in q saloon. He
then became coachman to private
families" This pitilessly does Saint
William expose the skeleton in Mr..
Pulitzer's closet. Like a benediction
are these words of Saint William.
''The presidents message is not an at
tack upon the press, but an attack
upon the prostitution of the press.
The presidents message is defense
of honest, patriotic journalism" Sic
semper tyrrannis, or words to that
effect.