The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-02
MR.. sAVAaE's NEWSPAPER DUMMY.

For some reason or other portion of the
ministerial profession chooses to indulge in
certain antagonism to newspapers. This feel
ing manifests ITSELF sometimes, in violent at
tacks on the press, and again in more moder
ate, but as often unjust criticism Of its
methods. Rev. M. J. Savage pleases himself
and the class of his brethren referred to- by
setting up newspaper dummy in the cur
rent North American Review and knock
ing down the ingenious continuance with
great show of regret that necessity
rather cruel to criticise Mr.. Savage's suppo-
sititious newspaper on the ground that the
like his invention does not exist in actual life;
the reverend gentleman takes such evident
pleasure in trying to vitalize his dummy thata
proof of it's unreality would doubtless be pain
full to his feelings 1t would, for instance,
probably disturb him to be told that correspond
ents at the National Capital, so far from
being inaccurate and politically biased,
give remarkably fair and unbiased
reports Of events. Itwould possibly be new
thought to the man engaged in writing down
newspapers that the Washington correspond
ents do not make the regulations of public
men whom they choose to favor, nor "write
down" others less fortunate, for the simple
reason, if no other existed, that man of
character cannot be written down, and, with
out character, cannot be ''made" by reporters.
1t would also surprise him to learn that the
average newspaper does not prefer to
serve up to its readers stories of
| crime and scandalous gossip-the more
atrocious and scandaous the better A
perusal of half dozen, or any number, of
papers picked up at random should have pre-
vented the endowment of his imaginary jour
nal with propensity for filling its columns
with revelations from the police or divorce
courts to the exclusion of more decent occur
rences. The publication which processes to
be newspaper and does not give much of its
space to discussion of education al, religious
and charitable matters and reports of the
meetings of all such organizations, is not
the sort of paper which obtains
much circulation, in the intelligent
circles which Mr.. Savage is supposed
to represent. Neither is it considered Smart
for the reporter of an actual newspaper to
evolve synopsis of sermon from his inner
consciousness, based only on the text used by
the reverend gentleman who delivered the
discourse Such reporter would find oppor-
tunity to exercise his talents in that line but
once on any reputable paper. 1t may be
audacous to controvert the statements of the
critical pulpiteer, since it is we'll understood
that what outsiders, and particularly preach
ers, do not know about the management of
newspapers, no one on the inside can tell them
with the hope of being believed;
but, nevertheless, the positive as
sertion is here ventured that
the professional reputation of good "inter-
viewer" depends upon the accuracy of his re-
ports. Notwithstanding the public in gen.
eral, as we'll as Mr.. Savage in particular,
cherishes a contrary opinion, it is fact that
the interviews with prominent men which
occasionally appear in print are faithful re-
productions of them language and sentiments,
as uttered. The circumstance that the great
men frequently find it expedient to deny the
accuracy of such interviews is matter ca
pable of explanation, but one in which the
interviewer has no blame to bear
1t grieves Mr.. Savage to explain that the
editor of his mugwump newspaper is not
man of much conscience, since he does not
necessarily believe what he is trying to make
his readers believe and will, if it seem desir-
able, advocate any set of opinions, whatever