Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-31
SAYS NEWSPAPER
MOST POWERFUL
Rev. R. E. Blight Declares Journal
Leads All Other InStitu-
tionS of Society
MUST POSSESS CONSCIENCE
PurChaSabIe Press Shown to Be
Terrible Foe to Liberty
and Progress
MUST POSSESS CONSCIENCE

large audience at the City club yes
terday that a newspaper should have
a conscience" His address was so in
teresting and received with so much
enthusiasm that at its conclusion f. G..
Finlayson, president of the club, pro-
posed three cheers for Mr.. Blight,
which were given with a will. Mr.. Fin
layson thanked Mr.. Blight for his ad-
dress and said:
"Now is the time our country is in
need of an honest, conscience guided
press It has taken us a little more
than 100 years to learn some of the
most important lessons of our democ-
racy, and that being so, how essential
it is that we have an honest press"
In part Mr.. Blight said:
The newspaper is the most influ-
entail and powerful institution in
modern society. The pulpit, the school,
the forum have to make way for the
newspaper. 1t is a window through
which we look out upon the world Of
events and before us pass in rapid pro-
acession the activities OF men; an anti
fo4 eign riot in China, famine and in
dustrial oppression in India, govern
mental experiments in New Zealand,
ijarliamental crises in England, tinan-
cial flurries in Wall street. and a whole
train of happenings, inspiring, squalid,
scandalous, trivial, that make up the
days news. 1t is the dispenser of infor-
nation concerning men and events. 1t
determines the questions of popular in
terest, sets the trend of public speech,
public though and general customs.
The community is dependent on it
for information and guidance con-
cerning commercial, social and polit-
ical matters.
SHOULD HAVE CONSCIENCE
Should this powerful institution
have a conscience, be amenable to
moral law, be subject to considerations
of right and wrong, be responsible to
Cd or man for its influence?
"A conscienceless newspaper, con-
d-cted sol~-y for the purpose of MAX
ing money, will pander to the preju-
dices and the passions of the ignorant
masses. It's news columns will reek
with scandal and senSationalism. The
folies of a decadent society, the alb
no omalities of crime and degeneracy,
the squalid tragedies of lust, the de-
grading news of brutalizing sports,
will be dished up to tickle depraved
aopetites. Brothel, divorce court and
tie haunts of vice will be ransacked
for tidbits Of pruriency. Such news
papers are well named gutter Sheets
dealing as they do in gutter wares to
dwellers in moral sewers Where the
business office controls the policy of
ment as it gathers the news, and the
editors pen as he comments upon it,
need we wonder that vicious ideals and
cynical sophistry prevail? 1t is i'm
possible to estimate the power for evil
of a newspaper thus catering to the
base passions of the multitude.
But the most demoralizing influence
in modern society is not the newspaper
that frankly deals in indecency and
sensatOnalism. There is a class of
ewspapers-withOut conscience, honor
or self respect-that are in the market
brazenly on sale to the highest bidder.
Well edited, geographically excellent,
respectable, dignified and conservative,
having the support of the business
community, enterinng the best homes
and clubs, quoted in the most intel
ligent circles, yet rotten at heart
these are the papers to be feared In
the purchasable press is to be found
the most terrible foe of liberty, prog
ress and democracy. 1t becomes the
champion of special privilege, unwor-
thy personal ambition and political
deviltry.
NEWS is COLORED
"The news is colored, suppressed or
manufactured as required. The spe-
cial articles are marvels Of mendac-
ity. The editorials are written to mis-
lead the people, to confuse the issues,
and demoralize the public conscience.
Heaven pity the poor wretch who in
ours the i'll will Of such paper. There
is no depth of malice, perversion and
vilifcation to which it will not stoop
in attacking him. The lOW-broWed
thug who stealthny creeps up and
drives his stiletto into his victims
back is a hero and a gentleman as
compared with the INSCRIPTIONS scoun-
drel who, behind the protection of the
anonymous editorial, tears regulations
to pieces, wrecks careers and holds up
his fellow citizens to ridicuIe or con-
tempt to satisfy personal grudge or for
dollars paid by interested parties.
Tainted news, tatinted editorials
corrupt the very heart Of the COM
munity. and he who debauches the in
telligence, the conscience, the ideals of
a people is q more loathsOme crea-
ture than he who in madness scatters
the germs Of pestilence in their homes.
Such a newspaper should be treat
ed with contempt and loathing, and
through the business Office notice
should be served upon the proprietors
that it viii not be tolerated in civilized
society.
1.-THE newspaper with Il conscience
will have a news service truthful,
wholesome, complete; will have edi-
torials frank. far-sighted, tolerant, re-
spOnsible will have a policy broad,
definite and public spirited; viii have
clear cut principles that cannot be
bought or influenced, and will stand
eternally for righteousness, progress
and fundamental democracy.
"The number of such papers is on
the increase, and when the people de
mand it all newspapers win conform
to this high ideal. Public opinion is
the omnipotent force in a democracy,
and even a powerful and veual news
paper must yield at last to its ire
sistible pressure"