OCR Text |
Show The Press and Public Officers Thomas Jefferson, roundly denounced de-nounced by many cf the editors of his day, had: to beeitir himself and his friends to inaugurate a newspaper news-paper which wculd support his pollers. poll-ers. He was firm believer in the power of the presr; and repeatedly emphasized his belief to the value of the freedom of the press. Public officials in miany parts of the United States today do not agree with Jefferson. They believe that their acts are sacrocanct. They credit themselvej with infallibility, "v in case of mi :take they would deny the expression of critism. There are some reprehensible newspaper editors in the country but not mainy. Most of them are hone t men, believing ini the honor-c honor-c d traditions of a free press but rs-lucunt rs-lucunt to antagonize the elected cflicials unless compelled by the '"verwhelmir.g dfinand cf conscience. The average citizen cf our section sec-tion probably does not realiz: how sxcr. the iiifa.rs of this county, this state, and nation would get into the permanent j.cwer of a small group of selfish men unless the pre.s was active in) disi-eminating news, and when nece'-sary uncovering official misconduct aJrd crookedness. Naturally, when a p.liticia,n is criticised, he dislikes the editor and the newspaper. Uniese, the journal has the gcodj on hm he go s into court, very often assisted and a-betted a-betted by other politicians who help run the ring that is always threat-ening threat-ening to assume full control of popular pop-ular government, with ap: eye on the possible- swag. Of course, the Pyramid doel; not, in its political critisms, venture upon up-on th i perse vial lives of men in pub-he pub-he life. That is their busimees unless un-less it gets into tha courts. With their public acts, however the case ! is entirely dio'rent, and the press is duty bound to inform itei people" and to represent their interests until a deci ion can be had cither in the courts or at th polls. |