Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-05
ORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC OPINION

For the past twenty years we have
been trying to give the people more
direct voice in the work Of government
We have been experimenting with
measures like the Initiative. the refer
endum, tho recall. or the direct pr!-
mary Some OF these things have
passed beyond tho stage of experi-
meni and have become recognized
parts Of tho political system Of many
or our States. But IA we look over
what has been accomplished by these
means II Is surprising to see how slight
has been their effect. They have not
justified either the hopes of their ad-
Nocates or the fears OF their oppo-
nents. Reformcrs thought that by pro-
NidinS for spontaneous expression of
the popular viii the referendum and
the direct primary would give us bet
ter laws and better candidates Con-
servatives thought that any such spon-
taneous expression OF the popular Will
would lead to disastrous r,dicalissn.
Both parties were deceived. The new
system does not provide for spoutane-
Gus expression OF popular will TO any
thing like the extent which is com
monty supposed. 1t has simply sub
stituted one kind OF organization FOR
another. This Is not the hrst time such
a thing has happened In American his
tory. Ninety years ago the overthrow
OF the CAUCUS system gave rise to simi-
lar hopes and was followed by similar
disappointments.
OvcrthrowinE Party Machine.
In 1924 we overthrow the legislative
caucus rs dominant power In poll
tics. and left the field open for the
party machine. To-day ~. are over
throwing The party machine nnd are
leaving tho field open to the Press And
according as the press uses It's now
power for evil or for good will tho re-
suits OF the referendum and tho direct
primary, and other similar agencies Of
modern democracy, be also evil or good
The organization OF public opinion By
the newspapers instead Of by tho party
managers has certain distinct and OBJ
vious advantages. In the first place
II involves more direct appeal to pub
lie opinion. newspaper owes It's
power to the fact that It's readers think
as its editor wishes them to think
Their opinion may he right or wrong
The evidence presented 10 them may
be complete or Incomplete But the
opinion Is In any case n real opinion
based on an examination of important
evidence.
In the next place. this opinion Il.
formed In the open, instead OF being
shaped by secret conferences. rs was
so often the case under old fashioned
party leadership. The ncwspa per
makes it's appeal in broad daylight. II
the appeal is an unfair one, those who
are arguing on the other side have at
least a chance to what is being
said and done by their opponents and
to try to prove that II is unfair. Gov
eminent by newspapers Is government
by discussion. IT is perhaps the only
form of government by discussion
which Is practicable In a large com
munity.
In the third place. the call which the
newspaper lnakes upon it's readers al
most necessarily takes the form of an
appeal IL their Judgment rather than
to their selhshncss. 4 parry manager
working under the old system is con-
stantly occupied In pointing out to mis-
followers how their personal interests
would he advanced by some measure
or some candidate. \ newspaper or
magazine that should adopt this policy
would soon find it's influence confined
within Il limited circle The general
public would suspect, and rightly sus-
pect, that measure which one group
of voters was urged to support on
purely selfish grounds would he OF
doubtful benefit to the community as
n whole. a Journalist may himself
often be led to support certain meas
ures or certain candidates for reasons
of sclf-interest. But his appeal to
his readers for support must be based
on broader grounds than this in order
to be effective.
Some OF the Disadvantages.
Such are the patent and obvious adj
vantages OF having the organization OF
popular opinion placed in the hands OF
the press. They are so fundamental
in character that we are sometimes
tempted to overlook the disadvantages
and dangers with which this process is
attended. Tho very fact that makes
the appeal OF tho press an almost ideal
agency in democratic government when
rightly used correspondingly increases
the perils when IT Is used wrongly.
The power OF an editor Is n power to
influence mems judgment. IF he con-
fines himself to legitimate methods
of influence he realizes Bagehot's ideal
OF government by discussion. IF he
uses II wrongly, and leads his readers
to act on imperfect information. he not
only turns the action of the govern
ment into wrong channels. but he eff
fects the more permanent and dis
astrous harm OF poisoning public
opinion at Its source.
a man who desires to make his news
paper popular is under a constant
temptation to pnnder to the prcjudices
Of his public. Without actually max
ing grave misstatcments. he can print
the facts which they like In large
type and suppress or rolegate to OH
scure columns the facts which they do
not like. Under these circumstances
their Judgment is distorted and their
preconceived Impressions confirmed.
until they become Incapable OF