Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-05
RALSE TIE STANDARD.

A nervous mental alertness, that IS so
largely characteristic of the American
people, is manifest in the modes that pre-
vail in successful journalism. The news
paper that succeeds not only financially,
but as leader OF the advance guard is
that journal which is keenly alive in
matters pertaining to daily life among
the people. This does not in any sense
imply catering to depraved tastes, but
means qulckness of apprehension,
0revity and incisiveness in writing, and
an attractive presentation of daily news.
1t is doubtless true that few, if any of
the journals of this country equal those Of
England in dignity of editorial writing,
literary ability or scholarly requirement,
and there is room to question whether a
certain admixture of these admirable
qualities might not be advantageous to
the American newspaper.
Slow to change is a characteristic of
Bri;on, and yet the catchy headlines that
are creation of American journalism
have at last been adopted by such papers
as the London Times. The headline,
which should be an epitome OF the
article beneath it. is a necessity in the
hurry of nervous American life, for with
it a man can, as he hastens to business,
take in at glances the current news,
and at his leisure read such as please
him.
The subject that bears most heavily in
newspaper work is, what is news? and
is there not propensity to give space
and Importance to that which, if not de-
PRAYING in tendency, is at least OF no
value, often obtained in ways hardly
creditable and costing a people much
that should not be held cheaply? In the
race for news and pandering to morbid
desire for notoriety there is dan
ger that sanctities are violated
and the divlner impulses sacrificed.
Besides the wild rush for and indis-
of work on the daily press is not what it
might be, and might be, too, without
sacrificing any feature of permanent at
tractiveness. Too much of the matter
haste in preparation; it bears the same
stamp that is too often seen on American
work in all departments. In the struggle
to get on, want of time and of money
have impressed upon most Of our work
the evidence of instability. We have
not yet builded for the centuries,
but for to-day. The time seems at
hand when we, as a people, shall be
able to take life more leisurely, when
in the great workshop of nation there
will be men fitted for SPECIAL work,
and who shall do it. Here must the
newspaper lead. In the past and pres
ent, mental work has been weighed
against dollars and cents, and the one
man who does indifferently well many
things, has been preferred over him who
does one thing exoellently.
No newspaper can hope to cope with
coming possibilities that is not fully
equipped. Versatility is admirable, but
there is q growing certainty that the
jack of all trades will soon be
displaced by masters of one. AS rea-
sonable is it to expect that in
an immense factory every man
should be qualified for each de-
partment as to expect in newspaper
fields good universal work from one man.
The specialist is recognized In the profess
sions, and he has his place in the literary
workshop, and as time goes on this will
become more apparent. The newspaper
constituency does not differ from
any other; the plane is not the
place of power, q little above,
little ahead will more adequately
meet the popular idea of leadership.
The newspaper. 1t is true, must have
news, and so much is turned into the
hopper that leisure, talent, cultivation
and certain Unborn instinct is necessary