Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1893-12-15
Modern Newspapers.

Modern Newspapers.
At the Congregational church Sum
day evening Rev. William Moore gave
the fifth of his popular lectures on
Current Social Questions" The
subject treated last night was the
Modern Newspaper" The speaker
said that Gin these days we are not
content with knowledge derived
from travel and books but
we demand that every morning
we shall have placed before
us q succinct account Of the local and
principal events of the preceding
day. The agency by which this de-
mand is satisfied is the Modern News
paper" The rise and evolution Of
the press from the old news-letters
was then briefly sketched, after which
the distinguishing features Of the
modern paper were fully described.
Speaking. of editorials Mr.. Moore
showed how In terseness, crispness
and brilliancy they differed from the
English editorials which, while not
less able, were more heavy and
lengthy.
It is a curious fact that when
Newspapers were first established
they contained no editorials and
were only introduced to fill up the
space vacant through dearth OF
news. Now most people after glanc-
ing through the telegraphic dis
patches turn to the leading articles
to find out what the paper has to
say upon the silver question, the
Hawaiian affair or the tariff. Judg-
ing paper by it's editorials is it an
educator of the people? On the
whole it is, for while there are some
papers apparently morally destitute
and while some others are only the
mouthpieces of trusts, brewers and
party dictators, yet it is clear that
the majority of papers show a COM
mendable independence and that it
is to them we owe much of the ex-
posure of municipal and political
corruption, and the unearthing OF
business frauds.
In England the editorial is usually
the reflex of party leaders. In this
country it is the reverse, the parties
very largely taking their cue from
the public opinion reflected in the
papers" Speaking of editors, Mr..
Moore said that like poets they were
"born not made" as many brilliant
/ writer of books is a failure as an
editor. tits true that NJ. de Blowitz
advocates the foundation of u
"School of Journalism" in which
Journalists might be trained for their
duties. There is ssomething no doubt
to be said in favor of such Il scheme
but it's success wou ould be very doubt
full.
Turning to the reportorial side of
the paper the Rev. speaker said that
the reporter was the prod
uct of this country and that it is
here he most abounds and is seen to
the best advantage. 1t is a position
requiring great versatility, celerlty
and address. The reporter has no
time to call his own, he must be
Eready at a moments notice to go
here or there as exigency demands.
He is ubiquitous and the only man
ON earth capable of being in two
places at one time. In spite how
ever of the reporters many excel
lencies and good nature he has some
failings, he is sometimes too magma
tive and in consequence reports in
terviews that never took place and
events that never occurred.
Taking the modern newspaper as
a whole the principal failings with it
are q love of sensatiOnalism, a
tendency to cater to the public
taste rather than to ele-
vate it, and on the part of some a
revelling in a minute description OF
every salacious thing that happens,
and unfortunately this failing is
most displayed in the Sunday news
paper. Here the speaker quoted the
number of columns devoted to such
matters found in recent Sunday
edition of the various New York
papers, and proceeded to speak OF
the Sunday newspaper as contain
ing, apart from it's dispatches
scarcely anything that was morally
uplifting.
"The merits of the newspaper are
it's great ability, enterprise, fearless
tness and independence and it's con-
|demnation OF all sham and hypoc
racy. 1t has also done much t.
broaden our views and to free thu
religious press and the pulpit from
much Of it's former narrowness. The
religious newspaper of the present
day ia equal to the secular press in itf
ability and enterprise, while it un
doubtedly excels it in purity OF tone
1t is the duty Of every church mem
ber to subscribe for some religious
periodical, that he may keep In
formed of what is going on, no
merely in the ranks of his own de
nomination, but in the Christian
world at large. It is also the dut!
. of every citizen to subscribe for ant
support the local papers. The news
papers of our rural districts ant
} smaller cities will compare favor
, ably in ability with the large dailie
and they certainly are superior II
tmoral power and the influence the!
|wieid. People should support
local paper as they support thei
own schools, business houses ant
churches, not in spirit OF selfisl
localism but in a spirit of true loca
patriotism that the best interests o
the community may be advanced
and when you pause to consider yo'
will find that there is nOthin]