Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-20
A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION.

Is great It's general telegraphlC
service is the very best and lis
special service covering the state Is a
model It's editorial staff Is composed
Of bright, brainy men, fine writer's, and
It's editorials are models in the choice
Of words, the elegance Of dicdon, and
all that 1t has a few features on It's
editorial page however that might be
changed to the betterment Of the page
If not to the Improvement of It's maxi
ers. 1t has degencrated into a COM
mon scold to such an extent that in
other times 1t would have been sent to
the ducklng stool It's great editorial
talent, and It Is great, is directed en-
urely to crlticism--to pessimism 70
cne really helpful, hopeful, optimistic
editorial, 1t has q hundred dlametrlcal-
ly the opposite.
1t also Is possessed Of the idea that
1t Is always right, and that any not
believing rs 1t does is ignorant, fool
ish criminal.
While mentioning in n friendly way
some of It's shortcomings, 1t might be
added that 1t Is forgetful Of all cour-
tesy in speaking Of or to It's contem-
porarles, Of those little decencIes that
prevail in the intercourse Of gentle.
men, and are recognized and utilized /
by tho smaller newspapers between
each other, even though they disagree /
There Is abundant room for great i'm +
proyement along this line by our big
contemporary,
A day or so ago, for instance, The
Capital Journal had a brief editorial
In which It differed from the Oregonian
os to the parole and so-called "West .
honor system The Journal spoke of
the Oregonlan in this little editorial
hut It did II courteously, and said moth
Ing to arouse the ire Of the big papers
editorial STAFF, other than to see the
system in different light from it, I
here Is sample Of the polite and dig
nined reply;
Probably It win appear to be a
needless task to make any ondeavor
to relieve the indurated ignorance of
paper like the Capital journal AT
Salem; but the Orogonian will say,
nevertheless, that the parole system
of the state and the "honor" system
of Governor West are not Identical"
This highly gentlemanly reply, in
tho customary style Of that big sheet,
illustrates what we have just said.
The "indurated ignorance" Of The Can
ital Journal, Is perhaps pardonable
since II Is hardened in stupidity" The {
OIegonian Is wise and should have ov- J
erlooked The Journals misfortune !
However, If Ignorance Is to be blamed |
FOR what II cannot help, what is to be
done to the Jasmine egotism" of the |
EDITOR who knows It all, Whose /
'obiter dictum" must be taken as law s
The OregonIan says, "tho parole sys- +
EN- Of the state and the honor system Il
u Governor West are not Identical"
That is true, Few things are ldent- C
al But the system Is the same. diff VI
erlng only In degree. Under the pa u
ole system the prisoner is given prac- o
leally absolute pardon-tho only re-
ltlctSn being that he shall not vic. L
ate the laws and that he shall re-
ort at certain times to the proper
Under Vests honor sys.
nm, the prisoner Is given certain lib
rites and privileges, being permitted h,
work unguarded for instance. ON nc
IL promise to make no attempt to es- Of
'pe However, 1t Is not the criminals IN
the penitentiary but the Oregonian SO
.ttors that we started to write Of. and VA
is is a depression m,
We have been moved only by the mi
he Christian spirit to pen these few
les for our big brothers benefit We ne
We no quarrel with him, but only a up
sire TO put a little Christmas me- mi
nto down In the heel OF his stock div