Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-12-27

III. Editorial Opinion DaBy and
Veektv NeWspaper.

Since writing my last paper, in which
| had something to say about Editorial
Writers, | found. in the New York
Hour, the following on the Decline Of
the Influence OF Editorial Opinion.
The article is so Interesting that print
1t in lieu of something ofmy own on the
same topic. | fear it will not accord with
the views Of my daily contemporaries
Many capable journalists have for a
long time believed that editorial writing
has had its day and that it will grad
ually cease to be an important feature
in daily newspapers In the West this
opinion has led several journals Of
prominence to restrict greatly the space
devoted to the expression Of opinion !;
while in the more conservative East II
has led to a marked change in the
character of the matter printed on the
editorial page 1t has become the Gus.
tom Of many papers to treat all public
questions lightly, and to assume the
attitude of being amused at any
earnestness of opinion or warmth OF
advocacy on the part of others. It is
true that during the recent political
canvass some OF these very writers for
got themselves and occasionally were
bitter and earnest; but an amused atti-
tude is their usual one, adopted deliber-
ately and not from any lack of means
for the employment of capable writers.
or from any indisposition to furnish their
readers with what they desire, cost what
it may Those responsible for the
policy will unhesitatingly tell any in
quirer that few people read editorials
nowadays, and that the lighter and
more amusing such articles are the
more likely are they to receive the
attention Of these few. The further
declare that the proper function of the
newspaper is tta recording Of current
events and the amusement its readers,
and that preaching is no proper part of
its business. In proof of the truth of
their assertion they triumphantly point
to the phenomenal success of these
journals which habitually neglect or
refuse to treat any subject seriously,
and at the same time they call atten.
ton to the undeniable fact that some
of the papers conspicuous for the ability
displayed by their editorial writer's, and
for the sincerity and fairness of their
treatment of public questions, have
only small circulation and conse-
quently restricted influence.
1t may be in part answered that in
too many instances an able journal runs
to the other extreme, and acts on the
theory that waiting world is more
anxious to learn what its editors think
of events than to know what the events
are. 1t assumes, therefore, sort OF
mental strut which leads it in time to
mistake ponderous solemnity for dig
nifty, and to condemn vivacity as fri
volity, and wholesome bomeliness Of
speech as vulgarity.
Nevertheless, despite all partial ex-
plantations, the fact remains that the
papers least marked by serious purpose
and mental strength in their editorial
utterances are largely circulated and
successful; and the inference that the
influence of editorial utterances is wan
ing is fair one There are several
ways Of accounting for this. One cause
is doubtless to be found in the loss Of
interest in public affairs on the part Of
people where the population has be
come dense, and the struggle for exis-
tence intensified. To such a people
amusement becomes necessity as a
relief from mental strain and anxiety in
business, and that which amuses suits
them better than that which instructs
or calls for thought in their hours of
leisure. There is also widespread
distrust of the honesty and sincerity of
newspaper writers.
Everybody knows tn at men OF lit
erary skill and no mean ability can
readily be found who will write on
either side, or both sides, of any ques
ton. No judgment as to the writer's
sincerity, therefore, can be formed from
the tone or matter Of an article. On
the other hand, men having personal
interest in misleading public opinion
are known to control certain news
papers, and no one is able to say with
certainty that this is not true of papers
not yet suspected Whether this suspi-
cion is well founded or not, it exists, and
the knowledge that such condition of
affairs is possible naturally weakens
public trust in editorial utterances.
All Of this goes to sustain the "fact
and fun" theory as to the true aim OF
journalism, and to point to the gradual
abandonment Of the attempt to make a
daily newspaperserve the double pur-
pose of a chronicler of events and a
moulder Of public opinion. The stock
company control, which has done SO
much to diminish individual RESPONSE
bility for editorial utterances, and to
cause distrust as to their real purpose
and design, has become necessity OF
modern journalism. Nothing short OF
a plant representing hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars, and the anal ex.
penditure of enormous sums OF money
without regard to current receipts, will
meet the requirements Of modern
metropolitan journalism. A new paper
with no revenue must spend as much
money as an old and well-establishcd
one, il it is to have even chance to
succeed. The cost OF establishing OF
purchasing paper is, therefore. save
in exceptional cases, beyond the ability
Of individual enterprise. There is no
escape for papers thus owned from a,
least the liability TO secret and selfish
control, and perhaps the sooner they
lay aside all pretence Of offering disin-
terested advice to the public the better.
Then the people will turn to the weekly
press FOR honest and disinterested com.