Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1901 — Yellow Journalism and Anarchy. The American Press: [ARTICLE]

Yellow Journalism and Anarchy. The American Press:

Is yellow journalism in any way responsible for the deplorable assassination of the president? In the excitement of the trying period through which the couhtry has just passed it, is but natural that this conclusion should be hastily reached by some without due reflection. What is yellow journalism? If it is criticism and ridiculb of the policy of the opposite political party, there are few papers that are not tinted with yellow. It has always been recognized as legitimate in this country to criticise the official acts of public officers. This is one of the boasted privileges of our free institutions. Every president from Washington down has been violently assailed by papers of the opposite political faith, doubtless too violent in many cases, but that is a matter of ethics or taste Newspapers of whatever political opinion will be slow to surrender this light. When it becomes les majeste in this country to criticise the chief executive, we will indeed have taken a long step toward imperialism. The pity of it all is that this criticism is too frequently carried i to unreasonable extremes bothj during a campaign and after. I There is hardly any bias so strong ! as that of the political partisan. Added to this are the elements of j personal gain and the natural desire for bucccss, which are apt to outweigh the broader patriotism which should enter into the consideration of public questions. Newspapers might not serve their party so well, but they might serve their country better if political discussion were conducted upon a higher plane. But, after all has been said, the sober second thought of the' public will hardly be williug to admit that yellow journalism is responsible for the murder of the president. As the St. Louis Republic aptly says, the anarchist cares no more about American parties than European court quarrels.