The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-02-07
Current Comment
The Vermont Newspapers.

turing lHe recent session OF the leg
islature there has been an unusual
amount Of criticism Of the newspapers
Some Of this criticism, has come from
members who have smarted under the
castigation administered TO public SER
wants who have deliberately repudiated
tparty pledges. Some Of it has been due
to ignorance and some OF it to prejudice
These criticisms were heard in eonnec.
tion with the bin permitting the ex-
change Of railroad mileages for adver-
Using and the direct primary bill The
| first has become a law and there will be
opportunity to see whether any harm
results. The second bill failed of pas
sage, but under the present law wild
or latitude is granted in the matter Of
political advertising than the primary
law allowed.
When the fathers formed this little
commonwealth in l777, although news
papers in the modern sense of the word
we're unknown, they had such lively
sense of the need of q free and untram-
melled discussion of public affairs that
they placed in the Declaration OF Rights
these significant words: chat the PEG.
and Of writing and publishing their sem
timents concerning the transactions OF
government, and therefore the freedom
OF the press ought not to be restrained"
That declaration forms part of our
Vermont constitution to-day.
Only through a full and free discus
sion Concerning the transactions of gov
eminent" may public opinion be formed
regarding those policies which became
| important issues in our state, II is
very easy to imagine dangerous news
paper conspiracy which may deceive the
people and lead them into grieyous err
rors. As a matter of fact newspapers
represent almost every shade of public
opinion Unless public sentiment is al
most unanimous in favor of particu-
lar question newspaper opinion will be
divided. In other words 1t is impossible
to control the influence of the press in
favor Of any improper measure.
The future is always most surely
Judged by referring to the past. In
the century and more since the Vermont
constitution guaranteed the freedom Of
the press that freedom never has been
seriously or extensively abused. On the
other hand the leaders in all moral re-
forms, in all philanthropic enterprises,
! in all progressive movements for the
upholdings Of municipality or state have
been the newspapers, and they have
done this, not for money but for the
public good
Newspapers are not infallible. They
make mistakes, and once in while
one OF them does some positive wrong,
but it will be difficult to find any pro.
fession which has labored more earn
estly and unselfishly for morality and
progress than the press.
1t would be easier for newspapers to
employ only phrases of commendatiop
and fattery, but such a course Of action
would be unjust to the public Ii the
newspaper is true to its mission it must
stand as a sentinel TO warn the public
Of any betrayal OF trust. Ii wrong Is
done, ii good faith il not kept then IL
il the duty Of the newspaper to tell its
readers the facts. Criticism seldom is
easy or pleasant but it is duty which
an honest newspaper cannot shirk when
occasion demands it.
It VII be difficult to find any tan.
gitle Evidences of i'll gotten wealth
ammpg Vermont newsps. men There
axe professions Of which as much can
not b. said. IN, newspaper ntn asks
70, M houcuc :, ~ he does resent
charges Of dishonesty and bad faith and
the records will show that such charges
seldom can be proved.
The newspapers OF Vermont never
were better than they are to-day, never
stood more aggressively for what they
honestly believed to be right, and never
were more determined to build mp the
state than they are to-day. Montpelier
Journal