Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-03-18
GOVERNMENT BY PUBLICITY"
That 10 What We Now Have, Says
is Doctor Crane. "

The history Of secrecy makes long
black smudge down the page Of time.
Nothing is truer than the saying that
| "the wicked love darkness rather than
the light" And this proverb has a
| bearing we do not usually suspect.
We assume II to have reference to
robbers, footpads, sneak thieves, mu-
tinous seamen and home breakers. II
does. It also refers, however, to any
other group Of people who work in the
shade. / ... b..
You can set it down in your books
i that any business for which the claim
| is made that 1t is better to transact 1t
under cover, that 1t Is unwise to have
| 1t Investigated and that the public has
no right to meddle in II Is crooked. or
course I do not include the affairs OF
la purely personal nature, but only
such matters as have to do with the
public. ... ...r .......- ....
The whole history Of government be-
| fore the day of newspapers Is q record
of tyranny and unjust privilege. SO
long as the common herd was ruled by
select few, who presumed to do bet
ter by the people than the people
could do for themselves, the result in
yariably was luxury and fine feathers
| for the elect and starvation and rage
for the many.
Vested rights thrive in darkness. It
is only in the light of publicity that
human rights grow.
The story of the old world, Of Chi
ma, ancient Japan, Egypt, Greece and
Rome, Is the story of secrecy and out
rage. ...
The story Of liberty and the new
world is the story OF the uncensored
press.
Whenever you find secret councils
of kings, diplomats whispering behind
their hands, senators gumshoetng
around and trust magnates mumbling
in back room you may be sure that
the public is about to be looted.
/ The petty criminal Is afraid Of the
policeman. The big criminal Is afraid
Of the reporter. 49,
The man who cracks the belated Cit
izen over the head with lead pipe
fears the law. The man who sand
bags the whole community and steals
$20, ,000, 900 in manipulating industry
does not fear the law. He hires the
law. The thing he fears Is the light,
public opinion, and the man who
works the spot light is the newspaper
reporter. ...' .
Naturally publicity Is often over
done. Newspapers now and then de-
scend to the level of vicious gossips
but not often enough to offset the i'm
mense advantage of their open utter
ances.
| There never was a bribe taking
Judge ousted from the bench, cor
rupt politician retired to private life,
q governor or mayor who sold out to
corporations and was exposed that
| did not hate. newspaper reporters
above rattlesnakes.
This is not a government by law
Law does not govern. 1t Is merely the
rear guard Of government. 1t Is gov
eminent by publicity. 1t Is newspa-
pers and magazines, the publishing OF
facts, that govern.
| The hopeful element in this case Is
that any attempt on the part Of secret
cabals to own the press defeats itself.
The public Is sure to find 1t out, and,
down goes the circulation. Many a
speak lightly, side-stepping publica-
ton has been supported by criminal
capital, but never with conspicuous
success.
Absolute independence, truth telling
and honesty are the foundation stones
Of a successful publication Of any kind.
Even party organs and publications
backed by the sect or union are dis
counted.
We could manage to rub along with
out the distinguished gentlemen VINO
run our finances, make our laws and
regulate our morals perhaps, but
suppress the newspaper reporter and
we should be tempted to say:
Be kind, then, to the reporter. Take
him in and tell him the truth. And II
you feel you must lie be careful to
make a mighty good job at 1t.