Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-11-14

OF some papers cause us to question
whether they are headed toward the
ideal and whether they are to be trust
ed as mediums to help guide Us to the
ideal i'll all that pertains to life and
happiness. We believe that a right
ethical conception, balanced, and coar-
age to work it, would change the atti-
tude of MANY papers toward their feE
low publishers.
We believe in competition in all
lines. There is room for two papers IN
a town like Salem and even under it
size. We believe that those papers
ought to operate and find their way i'm
to our homes in the same way that any
other commodity of life comes. Not
in a continual boast of self, and debase-
ment, or lack of appreciation of the
others merit. This is selfish, or SAVIOR
ing Of it. The world wants to be rid Of
the big 81" and little gu" as soon as
possible. 1t seems to me the papers
could go on serving the public, in the
most wholesome way possible, and leave
a lot of the judging of merit and de-
merit to the public, if the public indeed
would speak up. But some things Will
have to be eradicatcd from the soul OF
the papers. Such as that bane Of politi-
cal life called partisanism. The longer
the papers make themselves believe
that their very life depends on their
pronounced allegiance to party ties and
partisanism, the longer will the punlic
be bereft of that which will promote
love and good will. do not believe in
partisanism, ethical partisanism, OF the
kind that is modified by soulful con-
viction, that man will be loyal to
party if the party's hands are clean.
No paper can holler, "Vote 'cr
straight" rightly, unless it has such
conviction. That conviction can only
be shown by Withholding support Of
candidates who are not morally, intel
lectually and mentally furnished. Par
tisanism promoted in its common ac-
Iceptod way may promote feeling of
satisfaction among pure partisans, but
only disgust in the mind of progress
sives in all parties.
A right ethical balance would keep
one paper from promoting his own in
terests at the cost of the other fellow.
| notice in my business and in others,
that the tendency is not to call atten-
tion to the inferiority of the other fell
service and efficiency and minimum
service and efficiently and minimum
of "Me" mention. Who can but feel
disgust at the haggling, fussing, among
the Portland papers. 1t gives us what
the psychologist calls a pleasure-pain
sensation, because on the one hand IL
found quality news and intelligence, ON
the other "Big II little 'U'.0
The persistence of one set of papers
in continuing their campaign for self
aggrandizcment, in Portland, at the
expense OF the others, Notwithstanding
that the government has vindicated
that press association, only shows how
deep rooted are these unwholesome
things in the soul and life Of the papers.
There is remedy. Let the papers.
these personal entities, subject ihen-
selves to the same powers that affect
reform, that any other individual, or
associations have to submit to, and the
ethical balance sought by the public
VIII become the permanent treasure of
the papers. Long live the newspapers.
most blessed boon to mankind, as helm
to civic righteousness, l say, as seea-
lar help, but let them observe that .hey
have a charge to keep, and that it is a
sacred eharge-the practice of all laws
of life and ethics that are binding 10
the individual. The public asks it.
prays for it; it is tired of the continual
making merchandise of morals. and
money out of demerit. Will the press
consideri
JOHN D. WOODFIN