The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-01-04
JOURNALISM.
A Philosophical Discourse on News
papers.
sharp Structures on the Sensational
Side
or the Journalism OF Modern Days.

IL s.sv,s % II Newspaper wares were
mHds 10 suit : market, ~ mueh 40 any
oihsT. Ihs stsfers, nni wpndefern. uud
gsperH ,urron y very largo snare OF lhs at
tsntiou OF all tue sons 81 tho tyke, Extra.
ordinary events "a ultiply upon n, turprs-
ingly, Gsgtttes, 10 il seriously 20 he feared,
will hot long allow room 10 HnJ
thiuE thai Is not lOths0ms or
shocking. A Newspaper rs pronounced 90
be very lean aud destitute OF matter, u u
contains no account OF IA arders, suicides,
pr1diges or monttrous births.
Some OF tuess tales exotic horror, and
others disgust; Jet the fashion reigns, like
a yraut, 20 relish wonders, and almost TO
relish nothing else. IL this reasonable
tgstri ~ Is IL monstrous and worthy OF
fdicult2 10 the history OF Nowgate tho
ol,y one wor readiuR1 Are oddities only
20 be hunted2 Pray tell u, men OF ink, u
our free presses are TO difruse Inform alton,
and we, the poor ignorant people can gtt
Il In 10 other way than by newspapers,
what Knowledge arc we 10 CLEAN
from the laundering lies, or the
tireSoms truths about thunder storms
that, strange 20 tell kill oxen and burn
barns' aud cats that bring two-headed Kit
tens; and sows that eat their own piR,f
Tho growing OF hen Is supposed TO forbods
cuck oldom, and tho ticking ola little bug
Ia the wall threstens yellow fever. IL
seems really az " our newspapers wsrs
busy to spread superstition. Omens, ana
dreams. and prodiEie,, are recorded
Ons would think our gnssttss
were intended for Roman readers, whs
we're silly enough 20 make account OF sush
things. We rdioule the pApiIts for their
crrduiity; yet, ifNl tho trsmpsry 81 our
papers IL believed, we have little right 70
i.n.h a. apy set OF paople on sarth; Ans "
a a. H.ftr s.h - ia 81
Surely sItracrdinaTy ev0nts have not ths
stBt titls 20 our I.udisus attention. 10
BtuJy nature or man, we ought 10 know
thizgs that are ia the ordinary course, not
thu Lnscoountsble thinEs thai happen cut
OF II.
This oountry Is said to measure seven
hundred millisnt OF acres, now ltkrec mil
lions OF square miles and Is inhabited by
almost six millions of people, Inow nifty
nillion,l Who can doubt, then, tia.
great many crimes will be committed, ana
| A Hrsst many strange things will happen
every soven yssrbH There will be thunder
sho vsrs, that will split through white oak
treas; and hail storms, that will cost some
! farmers tho full amount OF tweDtv shillinEs
to mend their glass Windows; there will be
! tav.rns, and boxing matches, and elections,
sns gouging and drinking, and love and
murder, aud running in dept, aud running
away, and suicide. Now, II o man suppo,s
] ~ u
! ing events will happen In single year -
he not Just 90 wise 40 another man who
reads duy columns OF amazing particulars,
and, OF course, knows that they have hap
ysned2
Tsis state has almost one hundred thou
sand dwelling houses; 1t would De strange
! II ali Of them should escape fire for twelve
months. Yet it 10 very profitable Tor a
man to become deep student OF all the
accidents by which they are consumed.
n, should take good care OF bis chimney
corner and put fender before the back
log before hs goes TO bed. Having done
this he can isy his asnt or grandmother
read by day, or mediate by night, the ter
rlble newspaper articles OF fires; how a
nsid dropped asleep reading q romance,
and the bed clothes took fire; how boy,
searching Ia garrett for hoard OF nuts,
kindled some fax, aud how mouse, warm
ing his tail. caught It on fire and carried 1t
into his hols In the floor
Some OF the shocking articles IN the pa
per. raise sits pie, and very simple, wonder;
some terror; and some horror and disgust.
Eou what instruction is there in this end
| less wondsr2 VINO il the wiser or happier
for reading Ihe accounts OF them On the
coztrAry, do they not shock tender minds
and sddle swallow brains They make
thousand booDy boys, afraid to 20 to bed
i sph' son. .cs.ntrio minds are turned
to mischief by sush accounts as they
resolve OF troops OF incendiariss burning
our oitiss; the spirit OF imitation IL conts-
gious, aud boys are found unsecountably
Ssnt to do 80 men do. When the man
few from the ntseple OF the North church
ffty years ago, everY xnlucky boy thought
OF nothing bus iyip~ from sign-post
II was onns the fashion to stab
hsretics; and RsvAl!ac, who stabbed
Harry the Fourth OF Frsnse, the assassin
OF the Duke OF Guise ens OF the DUKE OF
Buckingham, with many others, only fol-
10 we'd the fashion. Ia it not in the power
Of newspapers 10 sprsad fashions; ana by
dining burnings and murders in every
bodyB ears, to dstain all rAsh and Ri5-
ehievous tempers on such subjects, long
enough TO wear out the first impression OF
serror, and to prepare them to act wsst
they so iamliiarly conten-
plsteH Yet there ssema TO
&c q sort Of rivalship among printers who
shall have the most wonders, and the
rtrsnssst and most horrible crimes This
taste will multiply prodigles: The super
stitious Romans used TO forbid reports OF
new proiiRlen. while they were performing
sacriioos on such accounts.
Every hcrrid story in Newspaper pro-
duces q shock; but, alter some time, the
shock Lessons. Az length. zach stories are
80 far from giving pain, that thsy rather
raise curiosity, ana we desire notnihf ~
.nnoh az the particulars OF terrible TRACE
dies. The wonder lie as easy ~ 10 stars,
and the most vacant mind is most in mead
of such resources es cost no
trsubls OF scrutiny or reflection;
II ia 4 sort OF food for idle
curiosity that is readily chsusd and =
gerted. ,,
On the whole, We may insist that the In,
crsssinr ashton for printing wonderful
tsIe. OF crimes and accidents ia worse than
ridiculous as IL corrapts both the puelio
taste and morals. IL multiplies fables,
prodigious monsters and crimes, and thus
70 axes shocking things familiar whiie II
withdraws ali popular attention from Ia
70 liar truth, because IL Is not shockipE.-