The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-08-01
American Journalism.

/ IMAM any OtHef country, anu over
third Of the combined issue Of the
whole world. Our circulation gives four
papers a week to each family of five
in this country. From 1850 to 1880 the
growth of newspapers in the United
States was 800 per cent, while the in
| crease in population was but 900 per
cent What higher tribute could be
paid to the intelligent enterprise of
American journalists
Our improvement during the century
just ended i'll material wealth and the
comforts and conveniences of life, in in
telligence, refinement, temperance and
public and private morality, is unsur-
passed in the history of the world. and
journalism has, more than any other pro-
fession, led the march of progress and
contributed more than any other factor
to the gratifying result. AS Il public ed
ucator, commencing where the common
school ends, journalism has overtaken
and passed the pulpit, crowded to one
side the library and lecturer, and taken
unqueried leadership in the grand march
of civilization in America
In this direction it is interesting to
note the changes in American Journal
ism during its short but phenomenal
/ growth and compare its ranks with that
Of the profession i'll other countries. For
this purpose [ classify journalism into
/ three departments-editOr news and
/ general literature. We have seen the
1 great newspaper editor pass away and
4 the great newspaper take his place. The
editorials of English and German news
papers continue long drawn, learned,
/ ponderous and mplete-eXhaustive to
/ both writer and reader. The French
editor, like the French cook, gives a
very agreeable meal from IL small stock
OF raw material. He is tiippant and brief,
/ but bright breezy and entertaining. He
| believes and pactices the axiom that man
ner is everything, matter is nothing.
The American editorialist happily and
| successfully draws from both schools,
avoids the two extremes and gives short
instruction and entertainment combined.
But with us the pointed, pungent para
graph is rapidly crowding out the la
| bored leader. The editorial writer finds
it best to touch his subject lightly and
leave much to the reason and imaginina-
ton of the reader Essays will live in
monthies and philosophical weeklies,
I but are too slow for the daily and weekly
newspapers of to-day. The telegraph
has FASTENED their downfall. Closely
following the report of great political,
legal, financial, military Or commercial
events comes from the talented inter
viewers at the centers OF population by
wire the opinions of the best expert au-
thorities on the subjects before the pub
lie. Under these circumstances there is
no demand for the opinions Of amateurs.
The editorial page must go and in it's
place we will have short, explanatory
editorials directly annexed to all impor-
tant news reports.
The news editor has become the most
important man on the modern newspa-
per- He must not only decide what to
print, but how to give it i'll the most at
| tracti*e form, for he has long ago dis
covered that the editor who makes his
news plain, bright and crisp succeeds
when dullness and prolixity fail. He
must boil down and present with pol
ished point and pertinence, and in rea
sonable and readable limits. His dear
readers imperatively demand that the
most abstruse and complicated matters
4 shall be readily read and assinlilated.-
| The work Oh the news editor is bringing
the pages of the modern newspaper to
unwieldly proportions which i'll the near
future will,give news gathering an elec--
trio character and hasten the already
rapid development Of class journalism to
a point where refined professors will not
be shocked by reports of prize fights or
the admirers of the manly art bored by
column accounts of college commence
ments In this line OF news gathering
the best newspapers of England alone
are fully abreast of ours.
The third and most modern depart
ment of journalism is miscellaneous IL
brary reading. Americans are 40 longer
willing to wait for the slow process of
book publication to learn the moral and
intellectual movements of modern life,
or the latest development in the world
of science. They have but short periods
for Musty books and with the present
development of what may well be termed
the department of common sense litera-
ture i'll our best newspapers, have but
little need of them. The talent and
skill OF our editors, writer's and engra-
vers whg have done so much to elevate
and adorn the art of journalism, have
enabled us to lead the world in this fea-
ture of newspaper work.
In conclusion. the onward march of
journalism i'll America during the past
century is a source of pride to the pro-
fession and the public. 1t has no gov
eminent suhsidies-it wants none. Ut
securely rests on the financial found alton
of public patronage on its merits. Every
newspaper in this country is a private
enterprise published with the same mo-
tive, which, as II rule. leads people into
all other occupations and professions
that of keeping full the family flour bar
rel The public does not own the paper
or the paper the public, and neither has a
right to complain of u lack OF apprecia-
ton on the part of the other. Both
stand free and independent without Just
claim to gratHifDus services from each
other, The public, to which the news
paper caters, is cold, critical and exact
ing, and will buy where it can get the
most for its money. Merit, and merit
alone succeeds. Yet, under these condi-
lions, we have ssen d vast Improvement
i'll the moral tone of newspapers during
the past few decades AS arguments,
cheap personalities have been left to those
who are mentally incapable of discussing
principles, and i'll many either ways have
objectionable features OF Journalism
been eliminated. To-day American jour
nalism as a Whole leads the community
in its moral Standard and its strength
and vitality give promise of an increas
: ing growth and influence in lac century
to come
Their Business Booming.
PrODaD no enc thing has caused such