The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1890-02-27
AN EDITOR AND HISPAY.
What III. p. Hall Thinks About
the Political EmOlnments
of Newspapers.
The Business Office May Ar
range for Pay for Legitimate
Political Advertising.
But the Editorial Department Should
Forever Be Unsold and
Unstable.
An Address Read at the Winter Meeting Of the
Editors and Publishers Association
of Minnesota.

10, II. p. Hall, manager of The st. Paul
Daily News, read the following paper on
1.-The Political EmOluments of News
papers:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
ASSOCIATION:
The trite saying that ut is easier to
ask question than to answer it" has its
counterpart in the assignment of topics
for consideration to-day. am quite sure
it was much easier for the president of
the association to ask me to depict "the
political emoluments of newspapers, :"
than it is for me to properly diagnose
the topic.
There is no reason why the editor
should not receive political emoluments
as well as other people, but he occupies
such position before the public that
the emolument often destroys his infiu-
ence and proves in the end positive
financial loss.
There is no profession so peculiarly SEN
sitive as that of the editor. The lawyer
is employed and paid to advocate the
cause of his client. Every one under
stands this, and though the client of
to-day may retain a lawyer to espouse
his cause and another client in another
case may retain the same lawyer to es-
pouse the opposite legal principle, both
parties paying for the services, it 81
deemed purely matter of business. A
lawyer may defend one man against the
charge of murder or theft and prosecute
another for similar Offenses and do moth
ing out of the way. But he does not de-
fend murder or robbery as abstract prin-
ciples, and consequently can be paid for
endeavoring to prove one man innocent
and another man guilty.
The editor stands-or at least should do
so-as the tribune of the people, consid-
ering public questions in their bearings
and effects upon the public. He should
make his Journal first of all, purveyor
of such news as may be adapted to the
field he occupies, and, as a NEWSPAPER,
sell his product and his business col
umns, as merchant sells his goods.
His editorial utterances and sentiments
upon public questions are another mat
ter. Whether he chooses to formally and
permanently ally himself with any po-
litical party or not, he cannot decline to
advocate some political cause.
Laying aside all question of principle
in the matter (Which in SOME cases, at
least, should have little weight, and
place it on no higher plane than the per-
nicious one that "honesty is the best
POLICY" there is no direct emolumeEt
which an editor can afford to accept for
his editorial opinions. Suppose, for a
moment, that an editor was understood
to be espousing some political dogma for
direct pay, how much influence would
he have in the community and how
much value would there be in his bust
neso? The influential paper commands
legitimate business, and an honest polit-
ical course, even though mistaken one,
brings its legitimate business emolu-
ments.
The same rule applies to the support
of individuals. No editor could AFFORD
to publicly announce that he was ready
to support men for political offices for
cash, and if such an editor existed no
political aspirant could afford to employ
him. Instead of representing public
sentiment the editor would be represent.
ing personal cash. The public would
give no heed to the editors opinion be-
cause they knew it was paid for, and the
seeker for political preferment would be
credited with having only such followers
as he employed.
The political emoluments which are
fair, just and honorable to both sides
consist of a political BUSINESS support,
not to influence or buy the opinions of
the editor, but to aid him, because he
honestly entertains certain views. The
newspaper is entitled to and should re-
ceive the very highest market rates for
every line of political advertising, such
as calls of conventions and caucuses,
announcements of political meetings,
keeping the ticket in the columns, etc.
The newspaper should receive the high
est market rate (Which is cents per
copy at present) for every extra copy
circulated for political purposes, land
they should be literally used no matter
if the number runs into the thou
sands. All that is necessary to bring
about such business basis and secure
legitimate political emoluments, is the
union of all of the papers in county,
and an agreement that they will not, for
the party they represent, or any other
political party or Individual, publish a
convention call, or political announce
ment of any descrip tion, including the
ticket, for less than % cents per line,
each insertion. If you charged up all of
your gratuitous work Of This description
you would be surprised to see it mount
into hundreds of dollars every campaign.
Maintain your manliness in your edi-
torial columns and 60 for all that the
politicians have in sight for such legiti-
mate political business as I have
bring about this healthy and legitimate
state of political emoluments" by such
an agreement as suggested, and the men
who seek to secure the offices of honor
or trust will foot the bills. If an editor
is a candidate either for nomination OF
election, as is his undoubted right, he
should contribute his assessment in cash
to the political committee, and thus sci
an example which will bring back his
own money and ten times more.
Do not be bamboozled by, the argu
ment that because members Of your pc
litical party subscribe for Your paper
land once in three or four years few OF
them pay their subscriptions they have
a pull on you for gratuitous use of your
SECtCS. Ou LUZ Ll1oh all CHNiNd
lent for your subscriptions, and it is only
the editor, who, in political affairs is ex'
pected to labor for principle, and rely
for sustenance upon filling his belly with
the east wind.
Two prominent hotels in Chicago-the
Grand Pacific and Palmer-furnish q
business illustration in point. The pro-
prietors of the Grand Pacific are ardent
Republicans, and the proprietor of the
Palmer is an ardent Democrat. Both
are liberal cash contributors to their re
spective parties, but when a national
convention is held in that city the mem
bers of the respective political parties dc
not expect to eat their ssusages or drinE
their whisky without charge at those
eminent hostelries. On the contrary
the hotels adopt that celebrated
Latin maxim ''soc ct tuum" anC
come friend or foe, politically speaking
it is all grist to their mills. The Repub
lican National committee very properly
makes its headquarters at the Crane
Pacific, paying enormous rates for ict
water and the use of parlors and marble
top tables to contain the pitchers. The
Democrats pursue a similar course
toward the Palmer, and sufficient
number in both parties answer the de
scription of George William Curtis O
being every hungry and very thirsty,
TO make the selection Of political bead