Year: 1879

tional brides, the freedom of the press. Whatever other power the people have given their lawmakers, they have refused to interfere with the newspaper, except to prevent gross libel, and in this, the Courts adjudicate There is no law that could be enacted, but what would do as much evil as good; which would abridge true freedom as well as re- press license. The regulation of the Eress is in the hands of the people, where It rightly belongs, for it is the voice of the people and they can de Eerminc whether it be true or false. 1t remains for the patrons tO say what the code of ethics shall be They are she ones that give support and make its existence possible; and it also lies with them to say whether this exist ence shall be for good or evil. POli- -cies and motives are oft-times per mitted to thrive in the conduct of newspapers that would not be tOler- -ated in any other institution existing by popular favor. Men who would scut from their acquaintance one whom they detected in an outright falsehood, will continue to contri- bute money to the support of which they know we'll are given to the pub lication of the most shameful lies. Men who would strike to the earth any one who should carry a suspicion

 of shame to the purity of their house holds, will welcome, day after day, sheets which are reeking with pollut-

 ing influences. Men who arc quick to discern the rogue who would un- dermine their success and risk their

 fortunes under the guise of friend ship, will still contribute to the sup port of papers which they plainly see are propagating the deadliest fallacies in the garb philanthropy, or reaching, for the rewards of demagogueism un der cover of claims for public benefit. Men who would denounce such wrongs if attempted m any other form, will quietly gulp down these sugar-coated pills of perfidy and pe-

 dition administered by the public press And while prints, which are thus encouraged by patronage, can hold the support of the truth-lovers and at the same time serve for hire the interests of those who thrive upon

 the success of sinister designs, it is little wonder that we see such per versions of the freedom of the press as now exist. It is simply by the public sufferancy that such things are possible. It is simply because the managers of such low-toned and truck ling sheets can bag the dollars of the well-disposed but th0ughtless people, md at the same time drive bargains to sell the influence which this patron age bestows to those who will pay highest for it, that we see. the won derful and disgraceful exhibitions of journalistic gymnastics.

 This is not a pleasant theme, but it is one of the utmost importance. What surety of right and safety is there when the voice of the people as spoken by the press, permitted to sink 10 the approval of false ideas of public policy: Who can tell to what end of wrong the tendency may go which takes its rise in the subjec- 1ion of principle to the claims of pri- vafe interest. What encouragement is there to individual uprIghtness, truth and nobility of purpose when tke public press makes yesterdays outlaw the hero of today? What surety of the permanence of a good name by life of disintercsted good ness, when those who were yesterday pronounced dangerous to the public safety are today proclaimed the peo. ple's saviors? Blinded by partisian- ship and led by greed for gain, jour- nals which public patronage should make jealous custodians of the gen -eral good are transformed into cring- ing, trucking servitors of personal ambition and rropragators of profit able falsehoOd.

 Is there no remedy? Yes, there is a sovereign remedy so long as the majority of the people are, as they are today, truth, lovers, patriotic and Tesolute. No fire will burn without fuel, and no service of the false will succeed unless it have the support which the friends of truth afford. If any journal gives unmistakable signs of selling truth for selfish gains. cut 1t of. Let it lose the support of the upright, and it will fall. If q jour ual aims to thrive by furnishing a fund of incidents and ideas which appeal to the baser passions, and fill 1he mind with low and groveling thoughts, banish it from pure homes 5nto outer darkness which its tastes approve. There may be other ap- breaches to the journalistic heart, but fhe one which is most available to the public is through fIle cash box Withdraw support. and the journal which lends its enincnce to the ser