St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-18
FAKE Ne wspAPERs.
They Catch Buyers by Fraud and
Are a Danger in Homes.

They Catch Buyers by Fraud and
Are a Danger in Homes.
Baltimore Sun.
While the newspaper is one of the
most familiar objects of civilization, its
Inner life and management are more
OF a mystery to the general public than
the comparatively unknown realms
behind the stage of theater. The
readers see its face and hear its voice,
and they note the genera. effects
and results, but they know nothing
of the makeup or the technical
processes employed, nor of the causes
or motives that are the mainSprings OF
action. In inviting the public behind
the scenes, therefore, the writers in The
Forum have performed task that is as
valuable as 1t is interesting. Such an
/ inside view not only helps the people to
understand the causes that make the
newspapers differ SO widely from each
other, but helps the uninitiated and
inexperienced to discriminate between
the true and the false, the genuine and
the sham. For in this world of humbug
and delusiOn there are many Innocent
people who are easily taken in by Spe-
clodS appearances, ana who require to
have the mask stripped off of patent
pretenders before they can penetrate
their fraudulent character. Journalism,
like the worlds fair, has its Midway
Piaisance of fakirs aud cheap showmen,
who contriye to take in the unwary
and make them believe that they are
being provided with original and
wonderful performances. That they
disgust the wise and the right-minded
makes no difference to the faklrS SO
long as they continue to make money.
The fakir style of journalism has
become SO common of recent years that
many OF the younger generation OF
readers are acquainted with no other,
and have come 10 accept 1t as the true
type. Those who read only the more
sensational of the New York papers,
and kindred publications elsewhere, for
instance, have acquired their ideas of
newspapers solely from these objec-
tlonable models, and are consequently
incapable Of forming sound judgment
either as to their merits or defects or as
to the standard which should prevail.
Probably very few people ever ask
themselves what the true mission of a
newspaper should be, what field 1t
should cover and what are it's proper
relations to the pubic. And yet they
might very we'll make these Inquiries,
for they concern them just as much as
my w liiC uCWSpdpeIS themselves. IL
1t be true that the tone of Journalism has
been lowered and its objects debased
and perverted, the readers by whom
and through whom it lives and has its
being are deeply interested in all efforts
to purify ana elevate it. The newspaper
stands second to no modern agency in
its power for good or evil. The pulpit
and the school do not exert a wider,
stronger or more permanent influence.
IL reaches every class which they reach
and classes TO which they never come.
1t must and does educate, whether it
will or not, and the vital question that
comes home to every thoughtful man
and woman is this: Is the average
newspaper CT the day providing a good
or bad education? Is 1t helpful Or hurt
,ful to the people who read it? Is it
paper you are willing to take home
with you and have your children read?
Is it text book that can be used In
helping to train, to inform and strength
ell the young.
The subject is one that widenS as it is
considered, and with regard to which it
is impossible in limited space to more
than suggest the salient features. 1t is
worth repeated journalistic sermons.