Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-06-29
A FREE PRESS.

IueTte 10 the seas.
A FREE PRESS.
Iowa Falls Citizen: A writer in
the course of quite an extensive ar
ticle on conditions in Hardin coun-
ty in current issue of Successful
Farming says, among other things:
"But law alone is not enough to
protect the taxpayers against in
competence and graft. Nothing but
healthy public sentiment and eter-
nal vigilance in the enforcement of
law will safeguard public interests.
Every community is safe where
there is fearless and free press.
A good, live, public-spirited editor
of a country weekly paper can do
more to protect the public against a
grating political ring or an incom-
petent public official than any other
individual.
The story l am about to reveal
was made possible in the first place
by such an editor who discovered
graft and kept hammering away at
public opinion until an outraged
public got square deal, and the
county supervisors"
"a fearless and a free press" can
do much, but the only incentive to
fearless and free press, aside from
the publishers conscience, is the
support of the people. If the men
and women of a city or community
or county steadfastly defend and
support and uphold paper that
stands for right against wrong, then
there is some encouragement for a
fearless and free press.
If the men and women of COM
munity fail a newspaper that is
standing for right against wrong
then they little deserve a fearless
and free press. For of what avail
| is it for newspaper to stand
against grating and swindling
against immortality, against crook
edness, against selfishness seeking
to profit at the expense of the pub.
lie, and against all the innumerable
wrongs that are constantly coming
up, if the men and women upon
whom it depends for existence are
to skulk away when there is need
of help?
Here is where many a publisher
gets cold feet. He starts out in his
younger days filled with the idea OF
standing for all that is good in life
He goes through two or three skir-
mishes and finds that so many peo-
pie do queer things. There are SC
many petty motives in operation
Perhaps the editor belongs to the
other church or the other lodge or
no church or no lodge. Perhaps he
has omitted a personal or a birth
notice, of course Intentionally. Per-
haps he has criticised the sharp
practitioner, then all the sharp
practitioners and swindlers and
crooks get behind a lamp post and
shy a brick at him. Perhaps he has
criticised the CRATER, then all the
grafters strive to sneak up behind
| him and hook tin can on his coat
tail. Perhaps he has criticised NOR
al leprosy, then all the fellows with
shady careers silently and stealthily
put out poison here and there in the
darkness of the night. Some fellow
is aggrieved and sues for damages.
The editor must furnish the money
and the evidence to sustain the pub
lies case. a good many men and
women shrug their shoulders, draw
their skirts and garments closely
around them, and silently steal
away.
Right here is where the editor
turns to the window from his office
desk. adjusts his glasses, watches
the disappearing rays of the twilight
'of the evening, and meditates. Why
pay the price. Why not turn silent
SOW and drink the swill? Why not
take their money going and coming?