The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-14


eft my fellow citizens, wAey reading news
paper, live and die in the belief that they
have known something of what has been
passing in the world in their time; where
as, the accounts they have read in news
papers are just as true history of any
other period of the world as of the pres
emit, except that the real names of the day
are affixed to their fables. General facts
may indeed be collected from them, such
as that Europe is now at war, that Bon
aparte has been successful warrior that
he has subjected a great portion of Eu-
rope to his will, etc, etc, but no details
can be relied on. will add, that the man
who never looks into a newspaper is bet
ter informed than he who reads them; is
asmueh as he who knows nothing is nearer
to truth than he whose mind is filed with
falsehoods and errors. He who reads no
thing will still learn the great facts, and
the details are false
Perhaps an editor might begin a re-
formation In some such way as this Di-
vide his paper into four chapters, heading
the first, truths; second, probabilities;
third, possibilities, fourth, lies. The first
chapter would be very short, as it would
contain little more than authentic papers,,
and information from such sources as the
editor would be willing to risk his reputa-
ton upon for their truth. The second would
contain what, from mature consideration
of all the circumstances, his Judgment
should conclude to be probably true. This,
however, should rather contain too little
L.
should be professedly for those readers
who would rather have lies for their money
than the blank paper they would occupy.
Such an editor, too, would have to set
his face against the dcmoralizing practice
of feeding the public mind haDltually on
Islander, and the depravity of taste which
this nauseous ajlment induces Defama-
ton is becoming a necessary of life; in
somuch, that a dish of tea in the morning
or evening cannot be digested without
this stimulant Even those who do not
believe these denominations still read them
with complaisance to their auditors, and
instead of the adherence and indignation
which should fill a virtuous mind. betray
secret pleasure in the possibility that
some may believe them, though they do
not themselves. 1t seems to escape them,
that it is not he who prints, but he who
pays for printing a SANDER, who is its real
author.
These thoughts on the subjects of your
letter are hazarded at your request Re-
peated instances of the publication of
what has not been intended for the pub
lie eye, and the malignity with which
political enemies torture every sentence
from one into meanings imagined by their
own wiekedness only, justify my express
ing solicitude that this hasty commun-
ication may in nowise be permitted to find
its way into public papers. Not fearing
these political bulldogs, yet avoid put
ting myself in the way of being baited by
them, and do not wish to volunteer away
that portion of tranquility which firm
execution of my duties will permit me to
enjoy"
And yet there be those who hold that vel
urnalism is peculiarly the product of latter
1iization. Let us hope that if the Sage of Mo
Ito should revisit the EARTH he would find
! native land at least some Improvement in
1rals and ethics of modern journalism. Let
pc that he would not consgn Brother Bryan
e commoner and the whole bunch of us to
lanias club and the tribe of the muck-raker