Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-10

through the courtesy of the newspaper
but the owner of the paper has full
access to his own columns. and does
not fear the blue pencil. The journal
list occupies the position of watch
man upon a tower He is often able
to see dangers which are not observed
by the general public, and because he
can see these dangers, he is in posi-
ton of greater responsibility. Is he
discharging the duty which superior
opportunity imposes upon him.. 4
might mention number of tempta-
| tons which come to the Journalist but
| shall content myself with a few
First, there is the temptation to con-
| ceal the name of the real owner of
| the paper. The proprietor of a paper
should be known, but his identity is
not always disclosed. The corporate
entity which plays so large a part in
| the business world has entered the
| newspaper field. The names of the
stockholders are not published and we
do not always know what individuality
directs the papers policy. Year by
year the disclosures are bringing TO
| light the fact that the predatory in
| terests are using the newspapers and
even the magazines. for the defense
of commercial iniquity and for the pur-
pose of attacking those who lift their
voices against favoritism and privi-
lege. A financial magnate interested
in the exploitation of the public Sc
cures control of a paper: he employs
| business managers, managing editors
and reportorial staff He does not
act openly or in the daylight but
through a group of employees who are
the visible but not the real directors
| The reporters are instructed to bring
In the kind of ncws which will ad
vance the enterprises owned by the
man who stands back of the paper and
if the news brought in is not entirely
satisfactory it is doctored in the of
| fee. The columns of the paper are
filed with matter, written not for the
| purpose of presenting facts as they ex-
list but for the purpose of distorting
facts and misleading the public. The
| editorial writer's, whose names are
generally unknown TO the public, are
told what to say and what subjects
to avoid. They are instructed to extol
the merits of those who are subser-
| Went to the interests represented by
the paper, and to misrepresent and
traduce those who dare to criticisa
Or oppose the plans of those who hide
behind the paper. Such journalists
are members of kind of "Blackhani
Isociety;" they are assassins. hiding in
lambush and striking in the dark; and
the worst of it is that the readers have
no way of knowing when a change
takes place in the ownership of such
a paper. Editorial poison like other
lpoisons, can be administered more
successfully if the victim is in ignor-
ance as to who administers it.
Presents Higher Ideal.
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 | believe higher
Ideal of journalism. If we are going
to make any progress in morals we
must abandon the idea that morals are
defined by the statutes; We must
recognize that there is wide margin
between that which the law prohibits
and that which an enlightened con-
science can approve. We do not leg
islate against the man who uses the
printed page for the purpose of decep-
ton but, viewed from the standpoint
of morals, the man who whether vol
unfairly or under instructions. writes
what he knows to be untrue or pur-
Iposely misleads his readers as to the
character of proposition upon which
they have to act, is as guilty of wrong
ldoing as the man who assists in any
|other swindling transaction.
Another method employed to mis-
lead the public is the publication of
Editorial matted supplied by those who
have an interest to serve. This evil is
even more common than secrecy as 10
the ownership of the paper. In the
case of the weekly papers and the
smaller dailies. the proprietor is gen.
orally known, and it is understood that
the editorial pages represent his
views. His standing and characte,
give weight to that which appears with
his endorsement. A few years ago
when the railroad rate bill was be
fore congress, "a number of railroa Is
joined in an effort to create a publ
sentiment against the bill Bureaus
toll 1;Ch 60 he