Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-03
PERSONAL AND IMPERsoNAL JOURNAL
TOM


A recent event in local journalism has
brought the profession of editing and the
business of newspapers into public notice
As there is right way and a wrong way
of their being brought into public notice,
a few thoughts ON the subject may be in
order. The permanent and important part
of newspaper is its opinions. Who ex-
presses them or who ceases or begins to ex-
press them is of no little concern. 1t is of
concern to the owners just as the qualities
of any expert agent are. But the policy
that protrudes the personality of the edi-
tor is now provincial, weakening decreas-
ing and will soon be unknown.
The reasons for this are sound but it
is a fact which falls within the domain of
taste, and in the profession it ought to be
realized rather than reasoned. Excellent
reasons for using the fork to convey food
to the mouth, and against using the knife
for that purpose, could be given but
those to whom such practice has to be
Justified will never acquire it. 1t is
thing of habit, of refinement, usage of
good manners and right instincts. So is
the impersonality of journalism. Every
solvent and influential newspaper is per-
manency. 1t has no period like the life of
a man or of party or of term OF service.
1t goes on forever, though men may come
and men may go. 1t is also the product
of the cooperative labor of many minds
assisted and controlled by one. Such an
organization is essential, but no one person
is essential to it. The personnel may be
changed at will, and neither the internal
force of the office nor the public external
to the paper will be affected thereby. The
former of course will know of it. The lat
ter will not know of it, unless told, and
when told any interest they have in it is
not an interest of Importance but only Of
curiosity.
From the newspaper point of view, it is
inartistic and unbusinesslike to parade the
names and changes of editors. The news
paper is an institution that speaks for it
self, or that ought to speak for itself alone.
As an institution of this kind no individ-
uality ought to shine through it, build on
it or play round it. 1t should absorb and
eclipse any individuality in its service.
Those with business to transact with it
should always be able to find the right per-
son, whether owner or editor, but the way
in which, so to speak, it does its business
with itself or within itself is none of the
public's concern. There is gain as well as
modesty in newspaper keeping its inter
nal administration from public knowledge
and from proclamation. 1t cheapens Jour-
nalism for it to exhibit its machinery as
well as its results. 1t makes every reader
a self-constituted editor of editors 1t dis
counts utterances by the opinions formed of
this one and that uttering them. 1t labels
views with the impressions prevailing about
Brown, Jones or Robinson, who is credited
with them. 1t destroys the respect which
reserve produces. 1t gives to comment the
place of harangue. 1t is destructive of the
weight that should 90 with the expression
OF Judgment thoroughly matured and de-
clared in no form or spirit or sense of in
dividuality, but with the consciousness
that it is the agreement of consulting
minds, the conclusion of much impartiallv
considered evidence - the testimony of
principles that are advocated for and by
large classes and the tempered result of the
policy, history and habit of a great pro-
fession and great institution.
There is a great real and great apparent
difference between the opinion of a news
paper and the opinion of a man on the
streets, be he an editor or a reader, as great
as there is between the gossip of Judge
out of Court and his decision on the bench.
The real difference is that the newspaper
speaks with an Institutional responsibility
the apparent difference is that those speak
ing in it should sink selfhood and be pos
sessed by the sense of that institutional
responsibility referred to. A journalist is
- rot of oi,11o
and causes. They control his paper. His
paper controls him. The work speaks.
The worker only speaks through his work.
This is the case with all papers advised
ly called great and admittedly influential.
Such papers in the respect indicated are
the models to 60 by. They have no dislo-
cations or panics. They move with the
certainty and CELEBRITY and system of ma
chinery. If there are internal troubles
they are settled quietly. If men are taken
on or taken off the profession knows of it,
but the public is not bothered about it.
The precision, gravity and institutionality,
instead of the individuality, of the system
prevent precipitate advance to obnoxious
or untenable positions requiring precip-
itate retreat from them. There is no beat
ing on the tom-tom of cards, explanations
and announcements. No temple has to be
burned down to roast pig. No boiler
has to be exploded to effect or proclaim a
change of engineers. The engineers are
changed, but the engineering goes on with
out haste, noise or rest.
Not merely to the paper but to the edi-
tor is this by far the better way 1t makes
him more of an editor and less of anything
else. 1t fills him with his profession, and
not with aims or activities outside of it.
1t keeps him above the trading political
class, and he is neither apparently their
oracle nor really their errand boy. He is
able to be supreme and serene in his office,
and does not fritter or scatter his energies
In alien avocations. He can be the critic
and needs not be the crony OF partisan
schemers or jobbers. He is party's GEN.
sor and not its servant. He can concen-
trate his powers on his work and not
weaken them or cheaper it by lending his
time and toll to those who would use him
and hout him when done with him. He
can serve his paper wholly, and never need
divided duty or interest distract him.
The course commended is journalism. The
course. condemned is not. Journalism will
enforce itself on journals and journalists,
whether they will have it SO or not. 1t
will run over them if they do not run with
it, Journalism is profession of persons
trained to work impersonally, and effective
in proportion as they do SC. and Ineffective
in proportion as they do not. The editor
who edits passes his life into his work and
to the common cause and credit of his call
ing. Who does less dissipates his powers,
his opportunities and confounds a losing
and wasting pursuit of outside phantoms
with the true mission and scope of the
most exacting and not the least honorable
occupation known among mem Albany
Argus.
VINO DID IT?-The Chicago Railroad
Reciee0 says the following is very pat
illustration of the real merits of the popu-
lar clamor that railway rates are exorbi-
family high "A lady in San Francisco