Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-10
SENSATIONAL NEWS puBI1snIua.

A clergyman at Stockton has created
some local excitement by charging, in a re-
cent discourse on the causes for crime, that
much is to be laid at the door of the daily
press, because of the methods employed in
publishing the details of crime, and what
are known as "press horrors" He is re.
ported to have said "Im not talking
against publishing the facts, but against
the manner of presenting them. There is
no good reason why the people should not
know what is going On in the world, so
long as the facts are not narrated in an
overdrawn style, headed in a sensational
and taking manner. This has tostered
mania for bloodshed. These things are
read too much. You read your paper and
if they are not there you call it tame. If
it publishes the bare flcss, it ia called dull
This shows that the minds of the people
have become sensational. The people de-
mand it of the press, and the press must
furnish it or be left. The press is not
to blame, but the people. In these
indignantly expressed sentiments there
is much of truth. There is altogether too
much of the sensational in the manner of
publishing criminal news Whether this
is chargeabls to the people, or to the press
which has developed and encouraged such
taste, is not now the question-it exists.
The sooner it is decreased, and finally OBJ.
liberated, the better. Conscientious jour-
nslists should lend their efforts to this &C.
complishment. It is possible to be brought
about. If dozen of the leading journals
of the East would inaugurate the reform
it would not be long before it would be as
fashionable in press circles as ia now the
extravagant and baneful style referred to.
Plain statement should suffice. Murders,
seductions, adulteries, suicides and out.
RACES should not be presented in such
garb and with such taking" head lines
as to detract from the enormity of their
character, or give to the relation the spice
of humor, or to convey the idea that the
affair is one rather for levity than serious
ness. The prurient taste should not be
pandered to. The constituencies of the
youthful mind to wrong ard cruelty should
not DC dulled by the light and attractive
method of the news editor and the re.
porter, Crime should never be made
"spicy Ia recital. The treatment Of To-
cal crime rs a subject for licking" is all
wrong, and reporters should learn that
there is scarcely anything more damaging
OF which they are capable. The newspa
per goes into every household. It's lines
are read by the young and the old alike.
and they should be such lines as the pa
rent might without regret repeat to his boy
or girl upon his knee. News of crime
need not be suppressed or diminished. No
necessary detail need be omitted but it
is not necessary that nastiness or bestiality
be given at all times, or, when given, that
they should be SO presented as to be
inviting, witty or humorous. Such
details of crime only should
appear as are necessary to a true relation
of the essential facts. 1t is in no sense
desirable that the details be dished up to
morbid fancy and libidinous imagination,
or a prurient taste, or that they be SO set
forth as take from them the keen edge OF
the moral all such recitals should convey.
If it is marital infelicity, why treat it as
Rich Development, when it concerns the
destruction OF the most sacred tie upon
which civilization rests? If it is murder,
why treat it as Another Man for Break.
fast % II il is abduction. why serve it up
as :. a Dainty Bit of Scandal" Are the
citizens involved those of former good re.
pute, why seek to destroy all faith in
society by announcing it with chuckle as
"Crime in High Life ?" Is it the case of
miserable Msgdalep, why should her
deeds be paraded as The Gay Haps and
NIiahaps of Lively Girl!' Why, indeed,
should crime ever be the cause or subject
for jest !, The world is full Of good, and