The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-09-21
MISSION OF A NEWSPAPER

Ever since men began to print
things that other people did not like
there has been more or less contro-
versy concerning the function of the
newspaper. The CRATER has always
declared that the newspaper is pub
lie nuisance, the tyrant has contend
ed that it is arrayed against the best
interests of the State and the man
with half-baked theories of life has
contended that the press is the agent
of the devil in overthrowing the NOR
ais of the community. Despite oppo-
sition, however, the press has won its
way to freedom. Today it occupies an
unique position. A very profound OBJ
server, in speaking of newspapers,
said:
"What do we have the newspapers
for? Why are they granted liberties
under the Constitution? 1t is because
they are needed as part of the gov
eminent. They are a part of the gov
eminent; unrestrained, but valuable
and useful for that very reason.
"a newspaper can print anything,
even to erroneous statements. 1t can
print anything except malicious lies,
Its function in the government is to in
vestigate, to pry into the business of
every department of the government,
and to criticise, wherever it sees fit.
at sometimes makes me out of pa
tience with newspapers that all do not
realize their function, that they are
virtually a part of the government.
1t is their duty to find out evils wher-
ever they exist and bring them to the
attention Of the responsible authori-
ties. They are the great safeguard
against corruption in public office.
"And how much better they can do
this work than any grand jury! They
have their men going about every
where, nosing into everything. If
there is anything wrong they will be
sure to find it out. Some one will drop
hint. Then the facts are printed
and they go Immediately before the
administrative officer who is respon-
sible.
"If he does not act the remedy is
still in the newspapers. They can
bring the matter of the negligence of
the public official to the attention of
the persons to whom that official is
responsible, and lastly they place all
the facts before the people, who at
anytime can regulate anything under
our form Of government.
"No, am not one who believes that
the function of the grand jury has
passed away. l have the greatest
faith in the value of a good grand
jury. But it is not the function of
grand jury to investigate and criti-
else purely administrative matters. 1t
will have all it can do to consider cas-
es of crime brought beofre it."
The man who does not agree with
these sentiments will very likely say
at once: "Who said that? Some edi-
tor, very likely" But the man would
be mistaken. 1t was not an editor who
declared that newspapers are part
of the government. 1t was a law
yer, and, more than that, lawyer
who occupied seat on the bench. The
sentiment quoted is part of an ,opin-
ion delivered from the bench by Judge
Mayer Sulzberger of Philadelphia.
So far as we now recall, Sulzberger
was the first judge to give judicial
standing to the newspaper as part
| of the government. The Philadelphia
jurist simply discovered a fact that
has been conceded by the general pub
lie in this country for many years.
People who are inclined to disagree
with the opinion that the newspapers
are part of the government should
try to conjure up vision of repub-
lie in which there are no newspapers.
If good government is impossible
without newspapers, then newspapers
are part of good government.-Pub-
fishers Auxiliary.