Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-12-20
Shall We Give Credit7

AS to giving credit for articles that ap-
pear in paper, there is an honest diff
ference of opinion on this point. The
ReUeille has frequently seen its own
articles appropriated by exchanges and
we think nothing of If, for the reason that
after we are through with them they are
public property and We are not vain
enough to be tickled by seeing our name
in print. The most sensible rule on this
point seems to he that credit should be
given to those papers clipped from that
are practically occupying and restricted
to the same field. This is a good rule
and is founded on good principles. II the
ReUeiHe should use an article from an
other paper published in this county, for
instance, it would be proper to state what
paper it was taken from as the advertise
ment would be benefit to the paper
mentioned, since they both draw their
support from the same field. But to
mention paper from some other county
is waste of time and does no good to
anybody. When the RevsiHe wants
the exclusive use of its articles it will get
them copyrighted, and we recommend
that others do the same.-HW City
Re0eile.
Literary theft is not uncommon
but a justification of it is decidedly
novel. The editor of the ReUeille is
certainly original in his views upon
this particular subject for we do not
believe that a motion to legitimatize
piracy of this kind would receive a
second from any member Of the
newspaper fraternity in the state Of
Kansas. An individual is as much
entitled to the exclusive benefit
arising from the production of his
brains as he is to the results obtained
by manual labor. The principle is
the same. An editorial, without
credit, means that it is product of
the editor, and that the language
employed is his own, and this fact
could not be made more emphatic
if the words 1--WE wrote this" or
others Of similar import were placed
at the head of each original article.
This we repeat is universally under
stood and the editor who publishes
articles other than his own, without
credit, is not only guilty of appropri-
ating to his own use and benefit the
property of another, but is also
guilty of perpetrating a fraud upon
his readers by pretending to be the
author and producer of something
to which he has no claim whatever. |
We admit that very often the
editorials purloined are better than
could be produced if originality was
adhered to, but that is surely no
justification. There are times per-
haps when newspaper men are iusti-
fed in relaxing the rule. A news
item is often discovered floating
around loose without any indication
of ownership. 1t would be impos-
sible to credit not knowing where
credit was due. The item is not
valuable on account of any literary
merit but simply as news item.
By common consent we appropriate
without credit. Fhis is legitimate.
But an editorial purports to embody
not only the ideas of the editor but
his own language in expressing them.
In short it purports to be his own
both in substance and form. A
preacher might with the same pro-
prietY commit to memory sermons
of Talmadge or Spurgeon and palm
them off on his congregation as his
own. In this instance the sermon
would doubtless be much better than
his own but there would be vacant
pulpit nevertheless If the facts were ,
discovered. 1t is simply dishonest. :
1t is an attempt to build up a repu- !
alton at the expense of somebody ,
Use. An attempt to deceive. We I
IAN be honest ifnot brilliant. And :
he general idea with the newspaper I
paternity, so far as we have OBJ ]
served, is to be nothing if not honest