The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-03-01
now NOr no EDIT A NEwsPAPER.

10 ltB puDncauon-nrSt, It's OWncEs
next, the public which support 1t.
Its owners have q right to make it
pay q fair return for the capital. and
labor they invest in It. They are
to make money in all hon
orable ways. They are also entitled
to the notoriety or the influence
which its ownership or editorship
may confer.
On the other hand, the public has
q right to certain benefits, such as
are always expected from a news
paper supported by the people.
The paper is to make money ont of
the public. 1t is to expect and de-
serve the patronage OF thousands Of
citizens of Diverse occupations,
ideas, and interests. 1t virtually
contracts with each subscriber that |
il will be 8 public newspaper, hon.
estlY devoted to the public welfare,
and in fact as well as ostensibly,
be q free and independent press,
fearlessly enunciating its own opin-
ions, and giving q fair chance for
even the humblest member of the
body polite to express his in re-
gard to all public matters.
And this brief outline of editorial
and business objects brings US back
to our first enquiry as TO what are
palpable errors to avoid.
One Of the most evident errors a
newspaper can commit is to sell its
editorial influence, in any way, to
any one, for any purpose. The
public has right to demand that
editorial columns be held above
purchase. To barter them as mere
merchandise to allow them to be
subserved for merely private or
corporate interests, is q direct fraud
upon the people. And fraud profits
no man, and no paper.
Another grave error would be a
lack of backbone fear of some
person or party which would gag
o the paper, which would prevent its
uttering its honest convictions, CIV
ing the facts relative to public affairs
or exposing wrong doing which
was working harm to the commun-
ity. That would be desertion OF
its duty to the people-and there is
no profit in that equal to the loss it
entails. A more aggravated form
OF this error would be to gag the
public itself-to deny TO any citizen
the proper use of his right to the
columns OF public journal.
Each of these errors, whenever
committed, lie rank injustice toward
the public, and to every patron OF
the paper at fault. And all men
resent them and IN some way visit
their indignation upon the paper
The reason is obvious. Every mar
Is interested in the existence of 9
free press. All feel its necessity
and may at any time need its bene
fits. In many cases such q press in
terferes with some individual inter
ests, but the very individuals con
cerned wish il free in regard tC
everything else. They may no
like II Just then, but they would no
consent to abolish IL permanently
for all that. So the great publi
which supports the paper is Away
offended by any of these errors, ant
no paper which habitually commit
them pays its expenses, or remain
for any length of time source o
honor or profit to its owners. Al
honest, fair, squarely edited riva
always runs it to merited death
Editors must realize the fact tina
the people have certain fixed idea
In regard to these matters, and tina
in their steady way they are sure t.
put their ideas into operation.
A newspaper is like ship. 1
sails on the sea of public favor. l
depends mainly for its safety anC
prosperous voyagiDg upon the trad
winds of public patronage. If strong
and well managed it can weathe
adverse gales, and at times encoun
ter without fear the storms of pop
ular prejudice. But 1t must not b.
run upon rocks and sapdbars, sur
rendered to pirates, run wildly OF
The true course, Or let most any
body take hold of the helm. 1t
crow are safe if they take good car
of it. They need to stick only Il
the cardinal points of newspape
management. No one man or a doz
en- sustain spaper of any conse
quence, Its prosperity comes from
thousands of pockets, and as lont
as 1t deserves such contributions i
will receive them, and with ordi
nary business management its pros
perity cannot be hindered.
We have room to-day for but on
moro point. No newspaper which
is merely the organ of one man, o.
of a fcw men, ever pays its running
expenses. 1t costs moro money t.
publish q good newspaper than an!
man or clique can afford to inves
to secure its influence. And tn,
public don't believe in sustaining {
paper solely for the glorificatior
and advantage of any man-no mat
ter how great q man he may be-o
of clique. There are plenty o
insignificant sheets ready to fly a
tails to anybody's kite--but thoy ar
not worth having. They are NJ
benefit TO the public and the public
always let's them starve to death
The true policy of those whose am
bition ia to run or edit a prosper
Gus, influential paper, is to discard
all interests and affiliations which
would lead them to commit any o
the errors we have described. 81
far as the management of their pa
per is concerned, they should have
no purposes which they would feal
TO have the public understand. They
shouid conduct their paper with the
single object of serving the pnbliC
welfare. Doing that, steadfAstlJ
and sagaciously, the people viii
surely soc and appreciate II, and BY
the sheer power of numbers con
tribute business patronage thai
will prove an adequate reward. Il
is upon this policy, aud in this faith
that We each week offer The NEwl
to its readers.
GREELEY ON GRANT.
The following correspondence