The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1878.

Kumara Times, Issue 416, 25 January 1878, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1878.

•In small communities where .iJta v editor of .the local journal .is move or less' personally known to everyone; and where public: men are in almost daily communication with 'him, 'there is a danger—perhaps more apparent than real, hut still a danger—that influences May : be at work inirirrcal to thefreeand independent."' discharge of editorial duties. It is scarcely necessary to .point out to the intelligent readers of ihe Eumara. ;TiMES'.how paramountly important it is that the expression of opinion through the.leading .columns ■ should .'■ be . absolutely free .from the. slightest suspicion of personal 'bias. ■ A •venal Press is even more dangerous to the welfare of a community, and to the liberty-of the individual than< is. aniim- ( Just Judge ; and it as much..to, *he interests of the people as to those cff'the ..journal and its conductors that its dn--dependence should' bejealously guarded. (Be it said to the honor and .gloiy of English journalism that the cases are few and far'between in which the Press has, to use a familiar colloquialism, •been "nobbled" iu-the worst sense of ■the term. 3Biit without anything like=abisolute malversation or dishonesty, '■ an editor, more especially, as we said be|fore, residing in a su>all community, ••uulless he be a inun impervious to ''strong influences" •■&*& "proper vepresentai tio'ns," is apt to find himsplf being led j into paths the outlets from which are [not quite so clear as .they ought tfco be.

Of course, it is a flattering acknowledgment •of the great power wielded by the Press tihat every man who has an object torattain should seek to enlist that power on his behalf; and if that object be compatible with the public interest the assistance of the journalist should never be sought in vain. On the other hand, no personal regard nor weak desire to please an individual or a clique should for one moment be permitted to -stand between him and his first and sacred duty to the public. "We are more 'particularly induced to make these remarks because of certain mild suggestions and mysterious hints made to us as to thfr line we should pursue in connection with an election which will shortly take place; also because, as all are aware, a change in the management of this journal has recently been made, and there is a homely and a trite saying : to the effect that one should begin as one means to go on. It is welt that public men and public writers should thoroughly understand one another;; and L from the foregoing remarks we have, we imagine, made it tolerably plain that the policy to be pursued by the present conductors will be in continuation of the independent and outspoken, one initiated by their predecessors. " Measures, not men "is our motto. ■ ' v •'. .'•