Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-28

In the course Of its experience The
Enquirer has been brought to a real
ization Of the fact that there are news
paper readers, not a great many per-
haps; but some, who seem to have the
idea that the editor must approve OF
disapprove everything he prints. That
is that given article that is publish
ed without comment, must be taken as
having the approval Of the editor. We
can very readily understand how an in
dividual who has a mere superficial
conception Of the conduct Of a news
paper can become obsessed Of such q
notion; but speaking largely from
lifetime of practical consideration Of the
subject, we do not believe that news
paper run on such lines would prove
permanently acceptable to any consid-
erable circle of readers. While there
are those who cannot get around the
idea that the one chief end Of a news
paper, If 1t has a chief end, is to mold
public opinion" and lead thought
we do not entertain such notion to
any considerable extent. Public opin-
ion might be temporarily swayed by a
newspaper comment, locally at least
and generally, for a time II all news
papers should work together along the
same lines. and print only such facts
or alleged facts as seemed to uphold
the particular purpose in view; but
such a policy would result in disaster
and chaos, sooner or later, and more
probably sooner. The only thing that
really "molds" public opinion Is truth,
the eternal truth, and this view the
newspapers cannot sidetrack, except
temporarily. Neither could the pulpit
II we would grant for the sake Of argu-
ment that 1t would try. The idea is
clearly expressed in connection with
the incident when the Pharisees sought
to rebuke people for involuntary ac-
knowledgement Of the Savior. Christ
said that If these should hold their
peace, "the stones will cry out" And
as to leading thought" any man or
newspaper who has real thought can
lead with 1t until 1t forms its mission
in securing recognition as truth; but
the individual whether in his own per-
sonal capacity or as a newspaper edi-
tor, who undertakes to lead and direct
thought has assumed task that has
never been discharged with great deal
Of success by other than a very few
mortals in this great world Of ours. A
newspaper ma. state as fact thing
that Is not fact; but the thing will
stand only until 1t Is exposed to the
light of truth. And the newspaper
which confines itself to the recording
Of only such happenings as it would like
to happen can be of very little value to
the people who look to 1t for informa-
tion about things as they are. A great
newspaper man once defined as news
fit to print" anything that the AL
mighty permitted to happen, and while
admitting frankly that we have neith-
er the sources Of information or the
high courage necessary to the proper
use of them, If we had them, we will
say that in our opinion, this great
newspaper man came very near cover
ing the whole ground. If this same
rule, however. were upheld as to the pro-
priety Of comment we take 1t that the
editor who could measure up to all re-
quirements would be. rather beyond
anything yet known in connection with
newspaper making. Also we take 1t that
the man who essays to lead thought
or mold public opinion" contrary to
the controlling facts, has job along
side Of which the little dog that bayed at
the moon must have felt himself most
profitably employed.