The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-09
Editorial
of the Day
NOT GOOD FOR PUBLIC

&C.. l.. Greer, in Houston Chronicie'
The prominence which has beeuR
given the Hamon killing in Ardmore
and the woman in the case by thel
press of the country, leads one 10,
wonder why the great dailies OF int
country will do that which is mani
fest injury 10 humanity when tneits
avowed purpose-often reiterated II
TO serve humanity and make it better
This case is cited as an example oe
cause it happens 10 be the iatest
sensation OF the day, and not becausei
the press is more culpable in this
instance than in any other which Isl
given such prominence by IT. Th'1
press knows and realizes that II Isl
the director of public thought, and
it is not the editorial columns byl
any means which direct the POPULAR
thought of the country, but it is thel
news columns. If only those who
read the editorial departments of thcI
daily papers were concerned, th'l
prominence given such cases wouldI
not be of such vital concern, as these
are usually men and women Of more
or less stable minds, but there areI
thousands who read the daily pa
pers who never look at the editor
ials, and their ideas are formed
largely from that which they read in
The news columns and the manner
in which it is presented.
Take the case cited in the begin
ming: There is hardly any doubt that
this is case where a young girl
was led into trouble by man OF
considerable force Of personality. and
that she is more 10 be pitied than
censured, yet the investing Of this
unfortunate woman, with the char
acteristics Of heroine, as has been
done by the press in the handling
OF this matter, is sure to have bad
effect upon that part of the reading
public which hasn't the stability of
mind and character that it should
have.
Its tendency is to popularize and
render less horrible the condition in
which such an unfortunate finds her
self when the inevitable retributon
oyertakes her, and renders others
more susceptible to the same mis-
takes as herself. In matters OF this
kind the press is contributing to a
condition which has largely been
brought about and aggravated by
producers Of q certain class Of mo-
ton pictures who popularize vice.
crime and martial infidelity with
scenarios which they exploit before
picture mad public. BY the con-
tinued exploiting of such before Il
young and impressionable public they
render such matters OF common oc-
| curence, which lose their horrible
and degrading aspect and become
matters TO DO tolerated and cou-
doned.
1t is true that the hand Of SYM
pathy and help should be extended
10 every unfortunate who has wan
dered or been lured beyond the pale
Of society, and every effort shodld
be made to Give them an opportunity
/ to come back" but the manner
OF doing IL should not be torch
| light procession and the flare OF
trumpets as it has been in the case
of Clara Smith Hamon. Such O. meth
od-if used for the purpose-would
defeat its object, since experience has
proven that one should begin in
the background, and gradually prove
his or her sincerity in working back
TO the front.
The limelighs Is no place TO begin
and work out h sincere reformation.
Witness the case Of Al Jennings for
mer outlaw and convict. Pardonec
Of his crimes by the president, he
came forth from prison and gradual
" began 10 work out his salvation
And the people extended TO him q
helping hand 10 the extent That he
was making splendid progress TO thai
end. But ambition got the better oI
him and. mistalSing the altitude OF
the people, he tried TO thrust him
self into the place Of highest hoDoI
within the gift of the. peopie az Okla
homa.
What was the result3 The attt
tude of the people changed and ht
was retired decisiveiy from publi'
life and degenerated 10 the level Of
a man who would popularize his pas
misdeeds.
The conscientious manager Of
large paper would-if pressed-like
~ acknowledge that the popular
method Of handling such cases b,
the press Is bad for largo portion
Of the reading public, and that Y
will have n direct bearing upon th'
morals OF many, yet in order TO sup
ply the demand for the sensational
some of them will lend their news
columns TO that end. The conscien
tious medical adviser will not allow
his patients that which will harm
them, even though their weaker na
lures may desire g.. and the press
which Is to the public largely wha
the doctor Is to his patients. should
not give ~ the public that which y
harmful. oven though It's weaker par
should demand IT,.