Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-06-18
ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL FREEDOM

rho nroodont Of one of the large manufacturing
plants of the country has recently stated puohcy VaO m
company would refuse to advertise IN magaAlieo "o
newspapers whose editorial policies were calcWatGu W
nce attacks on business and property says the Mime
apois Farm Stock and Home.
AS matter of theory this statement is hne' NO one
wants to tear down the business or social structure Oh VS
country, Rut the difficulty iS like many theories IN tS
anncaton Must publishers keep silent on all questions
affecting the welfare of individuals, or the nauo or oe
sranged through having their revenue stopped because
their editorial uterances may run counter 10 e lucas VI
ennnospd interests of certain lines Of business!
is not child labor an abuse that has no place IN CIVIL
izad nation? What progress would or could nave Dee
made in correcting child labor if the papers Oh thS cou
ry had been coeced into silence by threats OF WthdaWa
of income? YET the aboishmen OF child labor IN 1act0l
les might well be regarded as an attack on business ny
owners of factories prOiting by such LABOR
How about the aboshment of certain processes IN
match making that condemned the workers to an early
painful and oahsome death? The process was stopped
but not until the so-caed muck rakerS nau c5e@Ceu ] a
public opinion that forced substitution of different
process The match manufacturers could properly nave
felt that the magazines that led this fight were engaged
in a destructive attack on business.
Going back quarter of century to the beginning Oh
railroad regulation for another illustration, Had it not
been for the press of that day bringing to light the evils
of rebatng and rate discrimination, reform could have
ever and yet no one would want TO 60 PACK 10 ne
time when no man knew how soon his business would be
ruined through rate concessions to his competitors YET
the advocates of the establishment of the Interstate Com
merce Commission were charged with destructive attacks
on business by benefcaries of the then existing system
Go still further back. The papers that demanded the
abolition of slavery were most emphatcaly engaged in
attacks on very large business interest Make quick
Jump back to the present What has caused the prohib,
ton wave to sweep the country? Long continued
destructive attacks the liquor business by the public
press Is any man, group of men, able to take view
broad enough to decide in all cases what does or does not
come under the head of advocating destruction? Any
thing that hits our little circle of activities is far
are concerned, the end Of the world
Withholding advertising because we don't happen tt
like certain article or editorial in paperis manifesto
ton of the same spirit that mpels man to "stop the
paper" for like reason only it hits harder and hurts
more If this attitude of mind becomes general and ad
vertsng is distributed to the limmers the silent publ
cations the public will be under the necessity of payn
something like a reasonable price for publications tina
dare to be alive and vital.
Perhaps that would be more satisfactory all around
for if an editor must write with both eyes on the adve
tisels it's long farewell to social economic and mora
progress