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THE
REVIEW
flUJIC TIRADE
VOL. LI. N o . 23.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI at 1 Madison Ave., New York, Dec. 3,1910
s SINGLE COPIES,
S 10 CENTS.
J
*« oo PER YEA£
The Grinding of the Mills
I
T is ofttimes amazing to note how some men view the profession of journalism.
It is obvious that they figure that their position gives them license to attack men and methods in the most virulent and
shocking manner. There is no apparent check placed upon their utterances while they seek to destroy faith in mankind,
but, bad as has been the public press, it has been outclassed in every endeavor to help along the demolition of decency by
certain sections of the trade press.
The true function of the trade press, as I interpret it, is to aid industry—to disseminate news of an interesting character—to
suggest—to lead and not be led—to build up and not to destroy—to faithfully record the work of man in special fields—to give
full and complete evidence of usefulness in legitimate trade broadening.
And yet, in a trade which creates products which appeal to the highest emotions of our being, we have suffered journalists
(God save the mark) to exist whose object has been to fatten upon the weaknesses of men who under pressure of vicious in-
vectives have yielded to insolent demands.
So flagrant has been the abuse—so continuous the attacks—so plain the motives—that the men of the industry have become
so accustomed to the assaults of a venal press, that a fresh outbreak of abuse causes hardly a shrug of the shoulders. Perhaps now
and then someone may vouchsafe a remark as follows: "So he's next, eh; will he be easy?" And then when the attacks cease,
"O, well, he walked up to the captain's desk and settled; what do you suppose it cost him?" Xone has been on the exempt list,
and some have shivered and have reluctantly paid tribute rather than have the mud batteries open upon them. Others have paid
a nominal sum for "advertising" for no other reason than to keep the journalistic whelps from snarling.
A fine spectacle, is it not?
And to think that free Americans should submit to this treatment misnamed "Journalism I"
It has injured the decent journalist, so that he sorrowfully and reluctantly acknowledges that his profession has been tainted,
and he, by virtue of his position, is in a business which bears an ominous tag.
The wonder is how men have stood for it, even admitting there is fundamental cowardice in the human race.
How can any body of men sit indifferently by while their industrial comrades are held up to abuse—to ridicule—to slander?
How can they witness attacks so low that even religion and the sacredness of families are not exempt and are served up with
ghoulish glee? Surely they cannot be blind to the fact that such an influence has contributed more than all else in encouraging
the most despicable methods which have ever found root in this trade.
I am not magnifying the importance of these influences, but so continuous have been the attacks that they have calloused the
hearts of readers, so that the fine feeling, so necessary to good business methods, in many instances is lacking.
However, there must be an end to such methods, for men will not sit forever supinely by while their fellow-workers are cruci-
fied on the cross of filthy abuse.
They will not see the nails of slander driven into their quivering business limbs while the scoffer of decency rubs the vinegar of
shameless sarcasm into the gaping wounds.
No, such things cannot continue, for there are men, no matter at what sacrifice, who will arise and sweep the polluting pres-
ence of such loathsome creatures from the trade which they have so long disgraced.
The spectacle of a great and distinguished house girding itself with the sword of right and armed with the law will set
cowards trembling whose moral sensibilities are so dulled that a Malay pirate would stand as a shining saint in comparison.
Xot merely is such a sight inspiring, because it presages the defeat of abusive journalism, but it is stimulating, and the in-
fluence which has exuded a poison more deadly than that sent forth by the Upas tree is drawing to an ignominious end.
A newspaper, its readers, and its advertisers, are a mutualized institution; the advertisers and readers give strength to the
paper and the paper uses it for them; it cannot be strong without them, and they lack certain elements of strength without the
paper. The question is, will advertisers continue to give strength and sustenance to illicit journalism?
In life, after all, there are two great principles, fundamentals, as it were, Right and Wrong, and if it be right to attack men
who do not own a paper with which to defend themselves, then it is wrong to hold to high and true ideals, and modern society
goes tumbling down into the abyss. But right will endure when wrong is but a hateful memory.
The mills may at times grind indeed slowly—but, ah! the fineness of the grist!