The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-11
Alaska Newspapers
(Fairbanks News-Miner)

Fairbanks News -Mner)
 Herb Eilscher has written article on Alaska newspapers against the background of the recent eec tions
 He suggests that those newspapers opposing the powers that control the Territory are in danger of being "tramped to death" by phenomenon described as progress on the march,
 In regard to the News-Miner Hilscher signifi- in the fact that it fought he puts it. with John Butrovich and Gov Gruening. The News-Miner has occasion critized Presi- dent Truman members of Congress and the cabinet, sundry foreign governments, Josef Stalin and the weather Gruening, Butrovich and now Hilscher are in distinguished company. More will be added to the list as time goes on.
 In his essay Eilscher is careless in the of the word, propaganda, to describe editorial opinion. He also to place undue emphasis upon victory for the sake of winning, regardless of any convictions or principles held by those on the opposite side He argues that newspapers out of step with the voters require an angel to guarantee the bills in order to stay in business
 There are of course many notable examples to the contrary
 A count by Editor and Publisher, authoritative trade magazine showed that 65 per cent of the daily papers in the United States were supporters of Gov Dewey The list included such standout names as the New York Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, St. Louis Post Dispatch Kansas City Star Denver Post and the Los Angeles Times. None of these is in imminent danger of going out of business.
 Hilscher offers the demise of the Literary Digest after the 1850 eeCtOn as an or late could befall the certain Alaska newspapers who do not hold with the views which he expresses
 It is no example at all.
 The Literary Digest had begun to suffer from the competition of the much lively and carefully prepared Time Magazine long before 1886. The tee- phone poll the Digests chief stock in trade When that failed the magazine had to go
 Conversely in the 1886 election, President Roosevelt opposed for reelection by virtually large newspaper in the nation. Roosevelt carried 46 c%o rY1<a cti11 iy, hticir
 It is obvious that newspapers have far more to offer their readers than polls and editorial opinions It is also plain that political astuteness" in their newspapers not nearly important to most readers as the reassuring knowledge that they getting opinions from their publications opinions freely of fered and freely expressed which the readers may accept or reject they wish.
 This is as it should be.
 Fortunate, indeed the newspapers that are invariably on the winning popular side of the issues of the day although there may be some doubts as to the soundness of the character of such journals.
 The history of journalism bears the names of many who not fortunate, yet were not averse to paying dearly to fulfill fundamental obligations of their calling.
 Elijah Lovejoy was lynched by Alton, H., mob for expressing his views abolition Before that he forced to flee from St. Louis and his presses were thrown in the Mississippi.
 Peter zenger was another who "out of tune" with his time; out of tune with the British rulers of New York who imprisoned him a trumped-up charge of libel His acquittal, finally, laid the corner stone for the basic American freedom of the press that was later written into the Constitution
 The examples go back to the beginning of the Christian
 It is nonsense to impugn the motives of news paper because it is on one side the other of political question.
 The enduring qualities of newspapers stem from their courage and integrity, not from possession of a crystal ball.