Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-05-08
The Amenities Of Journalism.

ne tH1FatttF OF newspaper Is OUT the
reflection OF the editors estimate Of its
/ dignity. The sheet may be devoid of the
| touch OF genius, from the title 10 the last
| reading notice, and vet there may shine
/ through every column the evident purpose
/ of It's editor to invest 1t with all the dig
3 nlty and force hat he ceT rrmtnaIsu. as't
{ 10 avoid all personal controversies and en-
/ tanglements that would bcllitlc its charac
I ter or drag it down from it, high standard
a. an organ OF the people toward the lower
atmosphere where new spapcr> FOUNDER in
the NTH Of spite and malice.
Dsreputahle Journalism proceeds from
wrong ldea>-fooll.h iieas-of journals
tic duty. Let newspaper man determine
the quality Of his Journal on he same basis
that hc determines hi, own qualities as a
citizen. He has certain moratobligations 70
perform obligations 70 himself % his
family, 10 the community. Looking at
the question in its most narrow light, the
latter obligation does not in any way con
hict with the highest realization Of the
former The highest type Of citizen is he
whose individual life i up 70 high stan
dard Of It's habits and purposes. SO the
newspaper hose course Is marked out
with due sense Of Obligation 10 the
community, and a proper conception of
its dignity as con>cryator OF the public
veal, l. bound 10 win the respect of every
member of the community. and the patron
age OF all good citizens.
The whole substance of what a news
h., 4 ha la.
and discreetly uttered 1t must be told in
time or it, news-value will be lost. II
should be told, or withheld. according 10
It's value 10 the public II a public officer
absconds with the peoples money, they
should be Informed of every possible de
tail of the fact through the columns of the
paper If questions Of public enterprise
are In process of consideration, the news
paper will confer a benefit Oh the com
munity by fairly acquanting the people
with all that may be gained or lost by
them. Such truths should be told, ably,
freely and fairly.
But if the editor of our whining con
temporary is slab sided, knock kneed,
lOp-eared specimen, of doubtful origin" ii
is not necessary TO state the fact. for the
people are not interested in it. They have
no interest in the dIoop of the contempor-
ary's ears. in the shape of his legs, nor in
his pedigree. In fact. all these points
will he passed over without thought or
comment if he will but faithfully discharge
his duty to the public by producing good
clean newspaper that will assist, and mol
retard, the substantial aud moral growth OF
the community.
An editor has no right to turn his paper
into a weapon for venting his spleen on q
rival concern. or an individual. The pub
, lie cares nothing for his personal feeling
! toward this or that journal or his neigh
Dor. His subscribers do not pay for suct
information. Neither has he the right Il
iii its columns with suggestive details OF
scandalous events, for sensational pur
/ poses, when simple statement of thu
facts in the case is all that is good fo
public morals.
! Let the newspaper publisher who has
lived to past middle age cast his eye owe
the list of country newspapers that hav,
r steadily grown to an honorable and desir
able prestige in their respective communi
, ties, and he will learn that during theiI
t period of growth they were guided by mel
5 who held to so high views Of their re
= lation to the people that they would no
? descend to personal attack or vilifcation
r even when goaded almost beyond endur
g let him review the wrecks of journalists
debauchery that he can call to memory
some of them perhaps still struggling TO
a precarious existence and their analyst
q will reveal the fact that nearly every fail
= ure was due to a low estimate of the dig
: nifty of journalism, in most cases the pro
= prietor having infused his own low person
ality into the columns of his paper.
: The public wants the truth, and honor
, the truth. 1t is ready to accord praise an,
confidence, or condemnation and distrust
F.; and in nearly every case the public estimate
! Is correct. 1t may seem small thing TO
a newspaper man to force his paper int
sudden recognition by pandering to tn
local taste for sensationalism, but he i
: sure to meet a reaction sooner or later
;. and his descent will be more rapid than hi
t growth No editor ever built himself uI
to an honorable place In the estimation o.
!. his community by abusing his brothe
, editor. If he succeeded In winning tn
high regard of the public, that course wa
e not the means by which it was gained
4 OF two newspapers in a locality-One re
e sorting to personal vltuperation, mud
t Singing and sensatiOnalism, the other put
e suing a calm, persistent, upright course o
q gathering the news and publishing 1t with
out fear or favor, never STOPPING to repl
/ to the waspish attacks of its rival-th
: latter will ride safely on the broad sea o
!, public confidence aud respect long afte
4 the wreck of the former has been cas-
upon the rocks of disaster and disgrace
4 Efectrotyper.