The times., 1889-02-15
THE EDITORS MAxIMs.
Mu, 1t Haistead Discusses the Subject OF
Newspaper Making.


iu, At Haistead Discusses the Subject of
Newspaper Making.
Editor Murat Halstead, of Cincin-
natl, delivered an address on '"The
Maxims, Markets and Mission of the
Press" before the Wisconsin Press as
sociation recently. In the course of it
he said:
Who can tell the young man how to
grasp the magic clew of the globe that
spins with us2 There is no turnpike
or railroad that leads into journalism.
There are no vacancies for didactic
amateurs. Nobody is wanted. And
yet we are always looking out for
somebody, and once in q while he
comes He does not ask for a place,
but takes that which is his. Do not
say to the young man there are no
possibilities. There certainly are
more than ever before. Young man,
if you want to get into journalism,
break in. Don't ask how. 1t is the
finding of it out that will educate you
to do the essential thing. The young
man must enter the newspaper Office
by main strength and awkwardness
and make place for himself.
l shall recite and annonate some of
the maxims declared by an editor.
Said he:
/. Get the news, get all the news,
and nothing but the news" Who
ever yet knew just what "all the
news" wasa 1t is telling too much to
say we must get "all the news and
nothing but the news" No sheet
would be sufficient to contain it. Only
the wide world could hold it in all
that darkens or shines between the
continents and the oceans and the
skies. It ranges from dog fight to
an earthquake, from the enkindling
fancy of dawning hope to the achieve
ment of inspiration.
2. ''Copy nothing from another
periodical without perfect credit"
Sometimes it is the highest fattery not
to give credit, and we have known in
formation credited to a newspaper
that the journal itself would gladly
have discredited. Fortunately this
maxim does not go so far as to de-
clare that you must not publish in
telligence without giving perfect"
authority for it. That would demand
the infallibility that Mr.. Dana is said
to have discussed with the pope, with
reference to their comparative posses
sion of the uncommon attribute.
3. "Never print an interview with
out the knowledge and consent of the
party interviewed. This is to be con-
strued conventionally, and it is not
certain that it would always be popu-
lar with public men, who find the in
terview convenient in making infor-
NAL appearances, often more impor-
tant than official proclamations. The
best interviewing, that which is most
pleasing to him who is interviewed
and valuable to the newspapers, and
that gives the greatest charm to the
art of the interviewer, is the appa-
rently innocent report of the seem
ingly unintentional conversation of
the subtle gentleman who is giving
the information.
A. Never print paid advertisement
as news matter. Let every adver-
tisement appear as an advertisement;
no sailing under false colors." Once
upon time / sacrificed many dollars
in an endeavor to establish that great
principle and have receded from it,
yielding to the material manifestation
of general judgment. If one may be
permitted to speak of local experience,
the question of never printing a paid
advertisement as news matter has not
been so important as the printing of
advertisements that are not paid.
Amend this maxim by saying: Don't
undertake too much; or, if we may
put it in the most homely way. don't
bite off more than you can chew
without facial distortion.
8. Never attack the weak or de-
fenseless, either by argument, by in
vective or by ridicule, unless there is
some absolute public necessity for SO
doing" There can never be an abso-
lutte public necessity for attacking the
weak or the defenseless Help them,
defend them always!
Perhaps it is too early to compare
the influence which the elder Bennett,
the newsman, exerted with that of
Horace Greeley, who dealt rather in
ideas than in reports. 1t would be
easy to describe the distinction of the
two, but difficult to decide which was
the more influential upon the press or
the country. 1t might be said of
either, in Disraeli's words, unveiling
the statue of Lord Derby at West
minister: II have unveiled tho statue
of man who for forty years largely
influenced the public opinion of his
country"
If we have mission greater than
another it is the broad cultivation of
the popular character. York