Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-02-07
Newspaper Conscience and Service

ness makes a mistake. but more fre-
quently the mistake is made elsewhere.
The thOughtlessness and heedlessness
of youth and inexperienee is largely re-
sponsible for this kind Of error. But
with age comes wisdom and with wis
dom tolerance. Young men furnish the
steam and older men the brakes.
There is no better investment than
single standard of honor, honesty, truth
and integrity from the title 10 the last
agate line on the back page Those who
reap the weedless fields of honesty
gather golden haryests. Truth cleanli-
ness, and decency or the greatest diyi-
dend payers on earth.
III man were superhuman it might be
possible to mold even the scales be-
tween men who differ on religion. poll
ties. political economy, sociology, and
all other topics, isms, and happenings
which create discussion in the wYld. No
man can serve two masters, and l nlve
found it equally difficult TO satisfy
those who hold divergent opinions on
any public OF private matter Each
thinks.ais point of view is being un-
fairly treated. When both kick YOU
feel measurably certain that you are
not far wrong.
Opinions Should Be Barred.
There should be no partisansnip in
politics, no prejudice in religion, no
hostility to organized l2bor. no an
tagOnism to wealth per Sc, no color Of
personality, and, in fact, opinion should
be barred from the report Of every hap
pening, every meeting, every public
discussion, everything that goes to
make up the daily grist OF news. The
Datural inquiry arises, Why ism t it
so if the man at the lelm wants it TO
be SOL" Ny answer is: Human
fTailty and human infirmity.
An honest man makes mistakes and a
newspaper is operated and produced
by finite minds. The decent newspa-
Pers want to print the truth. There is
nothing TO be gained by printing
lie. A lie is a business boomerang. A
newspaper 5 reputation for reliability
! is its stock in trade Inaccuracy is the
cardinal sin. Doubtless some papers
are in need of dissolution, but the mum
ber is decreasing.
/ believe suppression of news is more
of a wrong than the printing of a
I piece of news that possibly might bet
ter not have been written. BY I'M
! proper suppression a newspaper sells its
soul and betrays its readers. To my
mind it is the high treason Of journal
ism. No paper that permits its al
vertisers or the personal, social, and
financial friends of its editors to con
troll or taint its news and editorial col
umns ever has become a big newspaper,
a successful newspaper, or a newspaper
/ that is respected by the people. Tle
man IN the street instiactively senses
( this sort of treason and he Furnishes
Would that we editors had the om-
niscienee of our critics, the unerring
days the ear held reign and the sphere
Of Influence was limited by aurai
range. The eye has been enthroned
and the whole world is our field. In
olden times the mightiest voices reach
ed thousands but fell silent within the
mile. Our silent voices defy distance
and seek our myriads behind brick
walls. We talk to those who never see
us. The thunder of our presses dies
away. but it has bred a billion living
tongues
/ Our responsibilities are great be-
cause our power is so immense. Forget
the former and the latter wanes.
instinct which can pick out lies and
truths in official statements and en-
able us to say when a victory is not a
victory and when a rout is a strategic
move of intelligence and military cum
ming.
His Answer to Them.
1 had one answer for these many
men and it ran something like this:
You say you know what is true
and what is false in the news that we
I print. Come to Chicago and the Her
aid will pay you more money than YOU
can make in your own town in year.
on are the man the whole country
yes, the whole worlds looking for.
Telegraph me when You start and |
Will reserve room for you at my club,
meet you at the depot, and see that
you are well taken care of in every re-
speet -
Guess how many accepted the propo.
sition.
The newspaper of today occupies the
position Of the herald of Old In ancient