Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-10-13
THE AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS.
AS It Ia Seen by that old and Expert
enced Journalist, Charles
nudly Warner.

encad JOURNALIST, Charles
nudly Warner.
SARATOGA, Sept. 6.-As to-day's Sos
sion Of the National Social Science
Association, a number Of interesting
essays we're presented, among them
the paper of Charles Dudley Warner,
on the American Newspaper, Of which
the following we're the principal points,;
The newspaper is private en-
terprise. Its otioc. is to make money
for its owner. Whatever motive may
be given out for starting a newspaper,
expectation Of profit by it il the real
one, whether the newspaper is relig.
ious, political, scientific or literary.
The exceptional cases Of newspapers
devoting to ideas or ''causes" without
regard to profit, are so few as not to
affect the rule. Commonly the cause,
The sect the party. the trade, the de-
luson, the idea gets its newspaper, its
organ, It's advocate, only when some
individual thinks he can see a pccuni-
ary return in establishing it.
The recognition Of the fact that the
newspaper is private and purely
business enterprise will help to define
the mutual relations Of the editor and
the public. His claim upon the pub
lie is cxactly that Of any manufacturer
or dealer. 1t is that Of the man who
makes cloth or the grocer who opens
a shop neither has a right to conf
plain il the public does not buy Of
him. !! the subscriber docs not like
one paIer he takes another, or none.
The appeal for newspaper support on
the ground that such journal ought
to be sustained by an enlightened COM
munity, or on any ground than that it
is GOOD article that people want---or
would want if they knew it's value--is
purely childish, in this age Of the
world. II any person wants to start
periodical devoted to decorated tea
pots. with the noble view Of inducing
the people to live up to his idea of a
teapot, very good; but he has no right
to complain il he fails. On the other
hand, the public has no rights in the
newspapers
EXCEPT WHAT IT PAYS FOE;
even the cold subscribers has none ex-
cept to drop the paper. if it ceases to
please them. The notion that the sub.
scrihcr has right to interfere in the
conduct Of the paper, or the reader to
direct its opinions, is based on mis-
conception Of what the newspaper is.
The claim ofthe public to have its com.
munications printed in the paper is
equally baseless. Whether they shall
be printca.or not rests in the discre-
tion Of the editor, having reference ia
his own private interest and to his ap
prehcnsion of the public good. Nor
Is he bound to give any reason for his
refusal. 1t is purely in his discretion
whether he will admit a reply to any
thing that has appeared in his columns.
No one has right to demand it. The
advertiser acquires nc more rights il
the newspaper than the subscriber
He il entitled to use the space 70,
which he pays, but the insertion ol
such material MS is approved by the
editor He gains no interest
in any other part of the paper
and has no more claim to any
space in the editorial columns than any
ether one Of the public. Nothing more
quickly destroys the character Of Q
Journal, begots distrust Of it, and SC
reduces its value, than the well found
cd suspicion that its editorial columns
are the property of advertisers. Ever
religious journal will, after while
be injured by this. Yet, it must bt
confessed that here is one of the
GREATEST DIFFICULTIES OF MoDER,
JOURNALISM
The newspaper must be cheap 1t is
considering the immen'e cost to pro
duce it, the cheapest product ever Of
fered to men. Most newspapers cos
more than they sell for; they couls
not live by subscriptions; for any
profits they certainly depend upon ad
vcrtising. The advertisements de
pends upon the circulation; the circu
linton is likely to dwindle if too much
space is occupied for advertisements
or if it is evident that the paper be
longs to its favored advertisers. Tn,
counting room desires to conciliate the
advertisers; the editor looks to maxim!
a paper satisfactory to his readers
Betw cen his see saw of the necessary
subscriber I'd the necessary advertis
er, good many newspapers sc down
This difficulty would be measurabl,
remov ved BY the admission Of TIE trutl
that The newspaper is a strictly bust
ness enterprise, depending for sue
cess apon qu'd pro quo between al
parties connected with it, and upon in
tegrity in its management.
Akin to the false notion that news
paper is sort of open channel tha
the rduhlie NAV use as il chnoses is tn,