Wichita eagle., 1888-07-25
College Classes of Journalism Not
OF Much Benefit to the
WOuld.be Journalist.
Newspaper Work Not Governed by Any
Code Of Rules Save That Of Hon
esty and Truth.
One of the Banished COlored County
officials Of Crittenden County, Arkan-
sas, Returns From Memphis and
is Hanged-Great Excite
ment at Marion.

MILWAUKEE, July 24.-Charles A. Dana.
editor of the New York Sun, delivered an
address this evening at the Academy of
Music to the Wisconsin Editorial associa-
ton. The hall was crowded and the vet
eran EDITORS discourse WAS warmly ap-
plauded. In the course Of mis- remarks, ne
said:
The newspaper must furnish the lnfor-
nation the people desire or it will be a
failure. The first thing looked for was
news, and by that wyrd the speaker meant
anything which would interest the people.
In this connection he said that whatever
Divine Providence permitted to occur
he was not too proud to report IL.
Applause and laughter.l So important
was the function of the newspaper that
colleges were establishing classes for in
structions in journalism. Notwithstand
ing this, Mr.. Dana had heard an old news
paper editor say that such classes were
useless, because the only place to learn the
business was in a newspaper Office. The
old division OF learned men were clergy
men, doctors ald lawyers, but now that
there must be newspaper men they must
be educated. A remarkable thing about
the sort OF education of newspaper meu
was that it should be universal He must
know "a great many things and the better
ne knows them, the better he
will be in his profession. There
was no chance for an ignoramus in that
profession. Applause, The news
paper man must know whether the theol-
ogy of the preacher is sound, whether the
physiology OF the doctor is good and
whether the logic of the lawyer Is good for
anything. Applause. Ii possible he
snouiu be sent TO college, but what was
more important, he should be sent to the
school OF practical life. The man who
was to be d teacher and adviser o. men
must learn to teach DIS well us learn.
The college was of high value,
but the actual contact with business
he thought was still more valuable. How
was pro1essorof Journalism going to help
an ambitious young man TO draw prize
in the Intellectual lottery. The speaker
did not think college course in journal
ism would be OF much value. The one
school was the newspaper office and with
out il no man could become a thorough
journalist. Applause and voice that's
So There were no set of maXims and
rules tor journalism. The doctor and
lawyer might have rules but there were
very few rules that could be used by news
paper uleu. MI. Odud, uOh CNSI,
the following:
Firot-Get the news. and get all the
news, ana nothing but the news.
oecond-Copy nothing from another
publication without perfect credit,
Third-Never print an interview with
out the knowledge OF the party inter
viewed. Laughter and applause.
tourth-Neyer print paid advertise
ment as news matter. Laughter. Let
every advertisement appear as an adver-
tisement. No sailing under false colors.
Applause.
Fifth-Never attack the weak or the de
fenceieSs, either by argument, by invec-
tive or by rdicule, unless there is some
absolute public necessity TOR so doing
Sixth-Fisht for your opinions, but don't
believe they contain the whole truth, or
the only truth.
Seventh-oupport your party, if you
have one, Laughter and applauseI but
don't think all the good men are N 1t, and
all the Dad ones outside OF it. Laughter
Eighth-Above all, know and believe
that humanity is advancing, and that
there is progress in human life and human
affairs, Applause and that as sure as
God lives, the future will be greater and
better than the present Or the past, APP
plause
That, said Mr.. Dana, lis a pretty
general code, but 1t seems to me that 1t
covers the case very we'll.
In speaking OF the power OF the press,
Mr.. Dana said:
In this free country our constitution
puts into the hands Of the executive OIL
GERS OF the government an immense au-
tnorIty. There is no King, no emperor, no
autocrat in the world VINO Yields such
power Tor instance, as the president of the
United states. Well, suppose til e
snould come-God forbid that it ever
should come-but If 1t should come that
there should be in the post of the pres-
dent a man who has gained such influence
over the hearts OF the whole people that
ohey become deaf to the suggestions OF
wisdom and give TO his ambition a free,
sway and open field. Suppose that he sets
aside, little by little, The restraints of
the constitution; suppose that he tramples
upon that great principle of personal lib
erty, Which Is me nobeSt Inheritance that
our fathers have LETT us, because 1t is the
very life of the republic the executive
power is IN his hands, the
army follows and obeys him; where
then is the safeguard of the republic
liberty against his ambition? 1t is in the
press. Tremendous applause 1t is in a
free press. And when every other bulwark
is gone the free press will remain to pre-
serve the liberties which we shall hand
down TO our children, an To maintain the
republic in ali its glory. let US hope, for
ever and forever"
James Wnitcomb Riley also addressed
the meeting.
no HEAP FOOL AGAIN.