Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-06-23
FRIDAY, JUNE %, 1922
POLITICs AND NEWSPAPERS.

Gus toast, my country may she be ever right;
but my country, right or wrong"
Such blind partizanship may be eXcusable and
even praiseWorthy when applied to ones country,
but it is questionable and even dangerous when
given unswervingly to political faction or party.
Yet it is the brand of political fealty demand
ed and given by many newspapers
There are newspapers coming to Inc lele-
gram whose editors might as well run at their
masthead paraphase of Decatur's toast reading
something like this: "My political faction, may it
be ever right but my political faction its candi-
dates and ofice-hoders right or wrong
These papers may be fair and impartial
enough in their news columns striving to give an
exact and uncolored record of the days news, but
when it comes to editorial comment upon this
news that is influenced largely by its effect upon
their particular party or faction.
The old doctrine that the king can do no
wrong is dead but the journalistic doctrine that
my party or political faction can DO no wrong IS
by no means dead, it is the unWritten law which
appears to dominate the editorial policy OF many
papers.
This type of newspaper is going out of fash
ion but there still remains conspicuous examples
of this blind and unreasonlng loyalty to be found
attached to every political party and every pol
tical faction.
To add dash of local color to this general
statement here in Wisconsin the Republican par
ty is divided into two opposing factions. One
faction bears the standards of Senator La Toilette
and Governor Blaine. They call themselves Pro-
gressve Republicans and their enemies refer to
plinentary appelation. The other faction claim
to have in their keeping the only simon-pure Re-
publican party in Wisconsin, and their enemies
refer to them reactionares or bestoW upon
them some other uncomplimentary appelation.
Both of these political factions have their
editorial propagandists who ferVenty believe that
the king can do no wrong and just as strongly
that the INSCRIPTIONS politicians who are oppos-
ing their particular brand of kingship can do no
right
Let Senator La Toilette or Governor Blaine
do this that or the other, and with election COM
ing on they naturally apt to do all three, and
certain papers will be sure to acclaim and applaud
and certain others just as sure to denounce and
disparage
Let it be candidates Morgan or Garfield, chos-
by their faction to oppose Blaine and La Fol-
lette at the coming primary, who do this, that
the other and the aforesaid editors maintain their
consistency by reverse English.
We do not believe that Wisconsin has any
conspicuous example of kept Press in the
sense in which that expression is generally used,
but both political factions appear to have few
newspapers rather closely tied to their apron
strings.
If such apron-strings adorn a competent pie
maker and distributor the bondage is perhaps not
excessively CALLING
One recalls that in the old days the medical
world was torn asunder between the Alopathic
and the Homeopathic schools of medicine. Per-
haps it is still so divided although the conflict
which once ragged between opponents of the two
schools of medicine is no more.
The writer's grandfather would have none
but an allopathic physician. GRANDMOTHER on the
other hand, was a firm believer IN homeopathy
When their baby was once taken seriously i'll she
called in the homeopathic doctor and he admins
tered his remedies. And little later grandfather
called in the aopathic physician and he admins
tered his remedies. Each thought the others
doctor would kill the baby. But the baby made
a miraculous recovery which amazed both DOCTORS
and grandfather and grandmother conducted
q n n
really deserved credit for the cure.
But may be the baby needed both.
Maybe Wisconsin needs both kinds of politi-
cal nostrums. Perhaps we are in a healthier con-
dition because we get an occasional dose of both
kinds.
At any rate The Telegram has no intention
of turning this column over to series of patent
medicine testimonials to the infallibity of any
particular school of political medicine.
This does not mean that we intend to sit safe
y astraddle the political fence and take part in
the discussion of state politics.
We expect to talk lot Of politics between
now and November
But it does mean that we are not going to
indorse certain candidates simply because they
belong to one faction and oppose other candidates
simply because they belong to the other faction.
It means that we are not going to recommend
a political nostrum because of the party label on
the bottle We want to know what is in the
bottle.
You may call this independence, if you want
But The Telegram calls it just common sense.
Many people like it.
Superior Telegram