The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1909-12-30
Careless Journalism

The Yuma Indian reservation
has been opened again-in the
local daily press. Whether the
editors Of the bright and well
come issues that are received at
the office of the Sentinel each
morning and evening are pos
scssed with the idea that the
United States government in gen
eral and the Interior department
in particular must eventually
give way to the persistent press
ure exerted by them in their fire.
uuent chronicles of rumors set
ting dates for the land drawing
across the turbid Colorado, and
sullenly and reluctantly unbar
the forbidding gates; or whether
they think that frequent excita-
ton of the minds of outsiders
keeps up a beneficial interest in
the dawning development Of this
locality; or that it is advisable
to boost unskeptically every
four flush speculative enterprise
that has inception here; or that
it is to their interests to draw
attention. to their publications
by jim crow sensationalism, is
matter of uncertainty. In either
case, we take issue with them.
Mr.. Louis G. Hill is quoted as
having said that the reservation
will be opened on. February q.
Mr.. Hill has not been heard from
directly. The sponsor for his
alleged statement is the chief
promoter of a townslte project
adjoining the reservation, its
future prospects being depend
eut upon the coming agricultn-
raj development there, and its
immediate prospects = and the
incidental profits of the promot-
ers-yitelly dependent upon the
reservation opening soon. Upon
this authority, despite official denia!s
and the absence of official announce
ment, the declaration ins,anced is pub
lished as worthy of general credence.
Such faith in the creduiity of human
nature might be sublime if it were not
so foolish.
The Yuma Indian reservation will
not be opened on February II or any
other date in February. Sixty days
notice to the public DESTROYS of partic-
ipating in the attendant drawing is an
established procedure, and cannot be
complied with at this date and secure
an opening in that month. This dis
poses of the proposition snmmarily.
The laws of mathematics are inexora-
bic.
peculative>promoters are creditable
operators and valuable adjuncts in the
development of the west. Their enter
prise is always zealously imaginative,
frequently INSCRIPTIONS and sometimes
illegitimate. They are as whole a
desirable class of men to have to push
matters along and are entitled to all
justifabfe encouragement. 1t is not
necessary to establish safeguards
against excessive enthusiasm on their
par.--the statutes of Arizona amply
provide that. They are not, however,
entitled to the charitable, wide-open
extension of the columns of the news
papers to bolster their promotions by
the publication of unfounded reports
concerning vastly important move
ments affecting the financial interests
of thousands of people.
An evening paper makes the further
statement that the Indian land allot-
ment has been raised from to 10 acres
by congressional action. tits no credit
to scoop" the Congressional Record
the staff of that sedate and conserva-
tive journal do not remain up at night
and forfeit beauty sleep to head off
more ambitious rivals. So this early
and exclusive publication will not pre-
vent the Record from an unrufied and
indifferent chronicling of this or the
opposite action some time later-when
congress passes en- the matter. 1t has
not done SO yet.
A newspaper publisher owes it to his
patrons and himself to not place undue
confidence in pleasing but Unsupported
information, and by publication Of it to
voluntarily or involuntarily fool his
readers. He will do it once too often
and they will forever lose faith in his
news columns, and that faith is his one
nreaG asSSt