The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-29


which Is the elshth conmnndmcnt?-.-I: I:yo-
-dus zO:lo.
THE FUNCTION OF a NEWSPAPER
The World has received some criticism for
publishing the list N candidates indoracd by
the X X. X Some Of this criticism mas been
cpon, some Anonymous, II was pointed ont that
tho action Of the creanIzoton regarding caudi-
.datoa was intended only for the secret mem.
bership Of The organization and that It vts not
intonded FOR the public.
Thus ia appears to be nccessary for The
World once more 10 make public abatement of
Its policy The World Is o newspaper, aud u
newspapers true function Ia to print the news
all the news III to print whlth affects In any
manner a considerable number Of people. y
newspaper does not make the news, but It IN
under a perpetual obligation 20 It's readers TO
neither garble nor suppress news, but 20 print Il
as It actually occurs Therefore no newspaper
worthy the name will await permission from
Interested or involved persons before publishing
a story that has public interest. News Is the
,lifeblood OF newspaper, the relation being
precisely tho same as client to lawyer patient
20 physician, dopositor to a banker. And there
lis as much reason In expecting lawyer to 10
iect client because some other client may
swish him to do so, or physician 10 refuse
"a patient OF A banker a deposit as there Is in
expecting newspaper to withhold news
Estory. otherwise meeting It's standards slmply
because somebody Interested or involved does
not wish II printed because the story may
be opposed IL the editorial policy of the paper
Itself.
The news OF vast Importance and widespread
Interest is always that news which some one
individual or more desires to suppress The
worth OF newspaper, us standing with its
Sreaders, Is gagged by Its enterprise and success
in getting such news and publishing It, News
that Is easily available Is rarely OF tho first
gquahty. The test is IL the story decent and
does affect In any way considerable number
OF people?
! That test applied TO the action OF the klan
In secretly indofslng n political ticket among
both republican and democratic candidates
sicaves, we submit. no room whatever for
ltroyersy. II the khan or any other secret cabal
in politics. has right to put forth candidates
'foresworn to whatever It may be that such
secret cabal seeks to accomplish, and no one
will deny such right, then It certainly follows
THAT the public should have tho right to vote
either for those candidates or for other candi-
dates under the condemnation OF the cabaI
How can the public enjoy such right unless full
tpubllcity be svon tho action OF the secret
caba? 1t is this secret pledglng Of candidates
for public office which has brought popular
government to the very brink OF dissolution
We all know that right hero in Oklahoma tho
labor ollgnrchy through the means Of a secret
questionable dominated legislature after lcgls-
lature on all matters relating to organized labor
The great body Of voters supported men whose
open speech ana activities attracted support vet
gave no hint that they foresworn In secret
1t has been the consistent policy OF this paper
for years to condemn unsparlngly such prnc-
tices. 1t has been the policy OF this paper al
ways to advocate tho right OF any class OF cit
izenship or any faction Of the electorate TO
openly support any proposal consistent with the
constitution, present its proposal in the open
forum and move for its adoption. This for
the fundamental reason that the public has
right TO have the opportunity TO vote FOR or
against any governmental proposal. that for
any interest 10 seel; TO attain It's objective
through secret means constitutes an imposition
on the public that must mean tho eventual
downfall OF government or open conflict In
order to prevent 'ts downfall
Such were tho motives that impclled The
World TO give the widest possible publicity 10
the action OF the khan IN respect to the various
political candidates Those voters who desire
to have government administered by men
pledged 70 klnnsm, beyond all question have a
right to know what Candidates are 20 pledged
and 20 support them Lut those who a~o op-
posed to such a departure in government have
right 10 know what, II any candidates are not
so pledged and the right 10 vote for them. And
no nan on either side mas even tho shadow
~ right to question the proprioy Of a news
ruror giving such Information TO it's cllertcl IN
an impartial manner When it does go # hut
practices what the khan breaches, free speech
md free press,