The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-06-10
DT1MAGAGUES AND PAPERS.

Time was when the people had
confidence in their newspapers. They
looked to their newspapers for I'M
selfish, patriotic and safe advice in
all except their religious tenets.
The newspapers did not presume to
advise in the matter of religious be-
lief or sectarian tenets, for there
were, and are, plenty of preachers to
attend to that duty. However, not
one in ten thousand newspapers OPP
posed or adversely reflected upon the
cardinal doctrines of the Christian
religion. Practically all upheld and
still uphold those doctrines.
But the people did not look to the
secular newspapers for religious ad-
vice, but for political instruction.
The result was the nationwide cir
culation of such great peapers as the
New York Herald, the New York
/ World, the Louisville Courier-Jour-
nal and many others. In their wake
came the country press, so called,
animated by the Hottest of patriotic
motives. Venality was not even
dreamed of. Editors of newspapers
were moved by the highest sense of
honor, which was eXemplifed in their
unselfsh and vigilant devotion to
what they sincerely believed to be for
the best interests of the whole coun-
try And the people had faith in
them and were to a large extent
guided by them.
In later years, however there has
arisen, here and there, genuine
demagogue who, failing to secure the
support of a patriotic, unpurchasa-
able and courageous press, has de-
voted his energies to a villianous eff
fort to discredit the newspapers and
lead the people to believe that their
newspaper editors are corrupt and ,
will advocate any men or measures
for a pecuniary reward. In other
words, the demagogues claimed that !
all editors were for sale and would |
give their personal and Journalistic
support to any man paying The price.
Editors opposing these demagogues
were denounced as bought"
The first Floridian to adopt these
nefarious political tactics is now
dead, but he has left behind him the
poisoned seeds which he sowed and
whose fruit is in evidence all over
Florida. Demagogues who have fol-
lowed him have adopted his tactics
and are denouncing all newspapers
not supporting them as having been
bribed or inundated by the social
ed money power.
The campaign ended Tuesday of
this week furnishes an illustration of
the despiCable tactics pursued by at
least two of the arch-demagogues
with whom Florida has been cursed,
but. thank God! it resulted in the
discontinue of those two political
corsairs and the re-establishment Of
the faith of the people in the patriot
ism and incorruptibility of the State
press--for there was a clean-cut
fight between the newspapers and
thCsS hIuS pins Vi pOlIIlCdl IdRlTS.
The lesson is, that the next time a
Cats or a Swearingen undertakes to
discredit the integrity of the Florida
press, he had better take note of the
fact that the people of Florida are
not fools and cannot again t9 de-
ceived as they were in 1915. Lin
coins famous saying, You can fool
all of the people part of the time and
part of the people all of the time, but
you cant fool all of the people all :
the time" still holds good. Cats .
and Swearingen probably realize .
this today. =
The faith of the people in their :
newspapers has not been misplaced. .
and while here there may be found :
p black sheep, just as in any other .
profession or trade, they may rely
upon it that not so many as one in
zen of their editors can be bought. ;
oribed or scared into supporting men .
Or measures that are for the best in
erests of Florida. !