The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-08-11
NEWSPAPERS AND
CANDIDATES.

The following editorial in a recen
issue of the ST. Augustine Record i;
being quite generally approved ant
copied by the newspapers OF Florida.
1.-The lineup of candidates this yeal
seem to devote unusual attention TO The
matter OF cutting expenses anu II is time
that the other side had an inning. In
the Old days when the candidate was
elected by the party and his election was
the care of the party, the newspaper
offered unrestricted space and its bcSl
thought TO the campaign because il con
Sidered itself an organ OF the people and
recognized 4 public duty. Today the
election of the candidate is mainly q
personal affair unless the newspaper &C.
cps one as prominently worthy and
takes special interest in his success for
local or other reasons. Leaving the
cases of special interest out of the reck-
oning, what has the newspaper TO do
with the election save as landlord, real
estate agent or other citizen?
'Since the candidates insist on this
strictly personal view and cut out news
paper expenses first, why should not the
newspaper meet them on strictly bust
ness grounds? No editorial space or
special write-upS are given the merchants;
why are columns offered TO the candi-
date? Why are they exchanging letters
with each other now on every imagin-
able subject and discussing their plans
and their holy efforts 10 cut down their
expenses in the public prints aSSidiouSly
except for the purpose of advertising
themselves and their alleged claims on
H. 10 loo T.,
newspaper to assert its rights and offer
space to such letters in the business col
umnS only? Why should columns be
given to the candidate 10 unfold his dis
interested desire 10 serve the people by
saving his hard earned coin when the
merchant is not allowed like space TO say
that customers can save cash by taking
advantage of his unprecedented cut in
prices?
"In every one of these letters is an
open or covert sheer at the newspapers
and they furnish the means of the circu-
lation of such attacks on themselves.
Perhaps il does them no harm because
the people consider the source and the
motive, but the newspaper lacks self
respect that will not assert its rights
against the tribe. The candidates repre-
sent themselves, their ambition and their
interests only-the election is personal
affair Since il is a question of shaving
down the costs of the primary why
should the newspaper rush in TO supply
the deficiency? The press of Florida
has made itself a public servant for all
these years and has been duly honorcd
for SelfSaCrifice and good work both by
the people and the party; now comes
this new tribe working for themselves
under new conditions and they demand |
the old work from our hands on the as
sumption that they are the public; make !
il plain TO them that they stand for them
selves and should rest on their own bot
toms. The sneerS are in evidenCe-the
is lacking. Self-respeCt re-
quireS that they be met by the news
papers of the State in lhs. spirit they have
shown and when they come into The of
flee 10 air their hopes, their claims and
send them 10 the business end
of me establishment. Then they will
Iespect us more even il they love US less.
We are not fooled by their letters and
their interviews-we know it is advertiS-
ing matter but we yield for the sake of
peace while the candidate thinks he has
fooled us and the people take us for fools Z
so that the sneeTS are justified. After a.,
The election the newspaper is asked TO
Ialk business only-lCt such talk run J
through the campaign as we'll"