Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-11-23
1.-THE PRICE
 OF A SOUL"
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 trol of paper; he employs business managers, managing editors and rep crtorial staff Ne does not act openly or in the daylight but through group of employees who are the visible, but not the real directors. The reporters are instructed to- bring in the kind of news which will advance the enterprises owned by the man who stands back of the paper and if the news brought in is not entirely satisfactory it is doe tOred in the office. The columns of the paper are filled with matter, written not for the purpose of presenting facts as they exist but for the purpose of dis torting facts and misleading the pub lie. The editorial writers, whose names are generally unknown to the public, are told what to say and what sub iects to avoid. They are instructed to extol the merits of those who are sub servient to the interests represented by the paper, and to misrepresent and traduee those who dare to criticise or oppose the plans of those who hide be- hind the paper. Such journalists are members of a kind of "blackhand sO- ciety;" they are assassins, hiding in ambush and striking in the dark; and the worst of it is that the readers have no way of knowing when change takes place in the ownership of such a paper. Editorial poison, like other poisons, can be administered more sue cessfully if the victim is in ignorance as to who administers 1t.
 There are degrees of culpability and, some are disposed to hold an editorial writer guiltless even when they visit condemnation upon the secret director of the papers policy l present to you a different-and l believe higher ideal of journalism. If we are going to make any progress in morals we must abandon the idea that morals are de- fined by the statutes; we must recog- nize that there is wide margin be- tween that which the law prohibits and that which an enlightened conscience can approve. We do not legislate against the man who uses the prihted page for the purpose of deception, but, viewed from the standpoint of mOra,s, the man who, whether voluntarily or under instructions, writes what he knows to be untrue or purpOsely mis- leads his readers as to the character of a proposition upon which they have to act, is as guilty of rong,doing as the man who assists in any other swind- ling transaction.
 Another method employed to mislead the public is the publication of editor ial matter supplied by those who have an interest to serve. This evil is even more common than secrecy as to the ,arcbir of tho Tn hn casa of the weekly papers and the smaller dailies, the proprietor s generally known, and it is understood that the editorial page represents his views. His standing and character give weight to that which appears with his endorse ment A few years ago, when the rail road rate bill was before congress, a number of railroads joined in an effort to create a public sentiment against the bill Bureaus were established for the dissemination of literature, and a number of newspapers entered into con- tract to publish as editorial matter the material furnished by their bureaus. This cannot be defended in ethics. The purchase of the editorial columns is a crime against the public and disgrace to journalism, and yet we have frequent occasion to note this degredation of the newspaper. Some time ago, Senator Carter of Montana, speaking in the United States senate, read several print ed slips which were sent out by bank ers association to local bankers, with the request that they be inserted in the local papers, suggestions being made that the instructions to the local bank In .,I I.R Ala.. ed to the newspapers. [. The purpose of the bankers association was to stimu- late opposition to the postal savings bank, policy endorsed afiirmatively by the republican party and, condition. ally by the democratic party, the two platforms being supported at the polls by more than ninety per cent of the voters. The bankers association is opposing the policy and in sending out its literature, it is endeavOring to con ceal the source of that literature and to make it appear that the printed mat ter represents the opinion of some one in the community.
 The journalist who would fully per form his duty, must be not only incor- ruptible, but ever alert, for those who are trying to misuse the newspapers are able to deceive "the very elect p Whenever any movement is on foot for - the securing of legislation desired by predatory interests, or when restraining legislation is threatened, news bureaus are established, and these news bureaus furnish to such papers, as will use them, free reports, daily or weekly as the ease may be, from the national capitol reports which purport to give general news, but which in fact contain argu- ments in support of the schemes which the bureaus are organized to advance. This ingenious method of misleading the public is only a part of the gener- al plan which favor-holding and favor seeking corporations pursue.
 Demosthenes declared that the man who refuses a bribe eOnquers the man who offers it. According tC this, the