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Editorial
September 14, 1911
Canton Weekly Register
Canton, Fulton County, Illinois
What is this article about?
An editorial satirically defends newspapers against a Cincinnati reverend's criticism at the Peoria Methodist conference, who blames them for moral decline due to crime and scandal coverage overshadowing religious content. It argues papers report all news, welcome church stories, and suppressing crime wouldn't holier the world.
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BLAMING THE NEWSPAPERS
A reverend gentleman from Cincinnati has been telling the Central Illinois Methodist Episcopal conference at Peoria that the country is going to the dogs because of the newspapers--which, he says, "are so full of crime and scandal that church people have little opportunity to read religious literature."
Why can't church people do in Cincinnati as they do in Canton--read first and foremost what is best, and catch up on the crime and scandal afterward?
Is it possible some law in Cincinnati forces readers of newspapers to begin at the top of the first column of the first page and to read straight through, and that church news is printed always on the last page, where but few can ever reach it? If so, conditions certainly should be amended.
In this part of the country, papers print what seems to interest their readers. If a crime is committed, a hospital or college founded, a church built, a train wrecked or a house burned, they record it.
Church news is welcomed. All news is welcomed.
Sermons could not be placed before the eyes of sinners by the newspapers if sermons exclusively were printed.
No sinners--and not many saints--would read the papers.
Nor would the world be made holier by suppression of the chronicles of crime, more than it would be made handsomer by breaking all the mirrors.
A reverend gentleman from Cincinnati has been telling the Central Illinois Methodist Episcopal conference at Peoria that the country is going to the dogs because of the newspapers--which, he says, "are so full of crime and scandal that church people have little opportunity to read religious literature."
Why can't church people do in Cincinnati as they do in Canton--read first and foremost what is best, and catch up on the crime and scandal afterward?
Is it possible some law in Cincinnati forces readers of newspapers to begin at the top of the first column of the first page and to read straight through, and that church news is printed always on the last page, where but few can ever reach it? If so, conditions certainly should be amended.
In this part of the country, papers print what seems to interest their readers. If a crime is committed, a hospital or college founded, a church built, a train wrecked or a house burned, they record it.
Church news is welcomed. All news is welcomed.
Sermons could not be placed before the eyes of sinners by the newspapers if sermons exclusively were printed.
No sinners--and not many saints--would read the papers.
Nor would the world be made holier by suppression of the chronicles of crime, more than it would be made handsomer by breaking all the mirrors.
What sub-type of article is it?
Press Freedom
Moral Or Religious
What keywords are associated?
Newspapers
Crime Reporting
Scandal
Church News
Moral Decline
Press Freedom
What entities or persons were involved?
Reverend Gentleman From Cincinnati
Central Illinois Methodist Episcopal Conference
Peoria
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Defense Of Newspapers Against Clerical Criticism
Stance / Tone
Satirical Rebuttal
Key Figures
Reverend Gentleman From Cincinnati
Central Illinois Methodist Episcopal Conference
Peoria
Key Arguments
Newspapers Report All News That Interests Readers, Including Crimes, Foundations, And Church Events.
Church News Is Welcomed And Printed.
Readers Can Choose To Read Religious Content First.
Exclusively Printing Sermons Would Deter Sinners And Many Saints From Reading.
Suppressing Crime Chronicles Would Not Make The World Holier, Akin To Breaking Mirrors To Improve Appearance.