The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-28
PATRONS IDEAL NEWSPAPER.

PARToN'S IDEAL NEWSPAPER.
Mr.. James Parton, the historian and
author, has in the first number OF the
new magazine, The Forum, a strlkingly
curious paper, under the title of News
papers Gone to Seed" 1t is an open
and frank attack upon the modern
newspapers, for which the gentleman
manifestly feels much contempt. lie
thinks the paper of to-day too big, too
clumsy, and given too much to the
publication of news, as if the publica-
ton of the news were not the real mis-
sion of the daily journal. He has an
idea of what newspaper should be !;
he would have it a small, compact
sheet, without bias in its editorial
opinions, having complete index of its
contents in every number, the news
carefully selected and condensed, the
offensive news being excluded, and not
an advertisement from beginning to
end. H
Now, what would such newspaper
amount to? Where would it
find patrons2 Who would care for
anything it might say (? How long would
it live? The correct answer to any one
of these questions would demonstrate
the lnlpractibillty, the impossibility of
such newspaper being successful. 1t
might answer the purposes of Mr. Par
ton, who lives away from the practical,
busy world, absorbed in his literary
pursuits, and annoyed by the turmoil,
distractions and hustle of existence in
these times; but it would not do for the
millions of bright and busy meu who
are abreast of the times, wide-awake and
actively engaged in the affairs of the
world.
The newspaper is simply business
enterprise, no more nor less so than
wooden mill, railroad, or wagon fac.
tory. 1t depends for its success and
support upon public favor, hence it
necessarily must be something entirely
different from the ideal of Mr..
Parton. If the public demanded
paper made up of news omissions and
unbiased opinions. it would get such a
journal; the fact that there is no such
Journal in existence, is proof that the
people wont support one. The public
not only wants but demands all the
news it can get, and it will not permit
the excluding of news because the editor
may not think the matter proper for
publication. Some newspapers now and
hen are seized with virtuous fancies
and undertake to choose and Gull their
news, but whenever they do SO they
loose popular favor. Nor is it true that
the public likes an unbiased newspa-
per, assuming this to mean paper
without likes and disiikes, without IA
yelites and opponents. The journal
which the public esteems isithe one
which holds and manifests distinct pre-
ferences as between parties, princi-
pies and men; the journal which
has motives and earnestness
though it sometimes makes mistakes
and goes too far in its zeal for its cause.
Mr.. Parton is especially pronounced
in his opposition to advertisements, and
IN this also he opposes the public, for
advertisements are among the things
which the people want and will have il
their NEWSPAPERS. From them the
people obtain information where to buy,
where and how to go, what to take, and
so on; dealers and purchasers, travel
ers and carriers, officials and civilians
are saved an incalcuable amount of
trouble and expense by the advertise
ments in the papers. while the papers
are enabled'by means of the advertise
ments to give the public an amount of
news and reading matter which with
out this source of revenue would be out
| of the question. .--.-- go r
A model newspaper after Mr..
Parton's plan, without opinions,
news or advertisements, is impos-
sible; but were such paper
to find enough patrons to support
it, fully nine out of every ten would also
want modern newspaper, lively, ener-
getic and progressive, publishing ali the
news, good and bad, and running over
with advertisements. Mr.. Parton has
been left by the world, and he is too old
to catch on" OF catch up.