The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-06-07
NAL NEWSPAPERS.
.,-vrwsr FOR ALL CLASSES OF So
GETTY AND NOT FOR ONE.

,ors and Their methooS oi 0a'A'erihs al"
presenting the News
NIL Massachusetts, Society For the
, =, of Good Citizenship has late
flI Ian addressed by several distinguish
J! n+1enen in a series of lectures upon
~ s,biect of journalism, and the re-
.n nY+ should be clear understanding of
' "bo+ i necessary to constitute the ideal
We a1rsnaner. Unfortunately, however,
I LEoso philosophers are at hopeless con-
s-ios No two of them agree upon
u va, "a l essential point. They have conflict
a.: anJ views not only as to the casual fea-
~ IS If the case, but also as to the
s Elemental facts. What one consid
20 drawback another declares to be
~ odvantage. Their methods of anal
a. DC and Judgment differ as widely as if
lLay we're designed simply to bewilder
/ ~. ,-,o' average mind. They are in harmony
INV mon the proposition that there is
0 graat room for improvement in the daily
press. r: l 41i,
4 ,rovement should be made, they have
tlI,o;r individual notions and are unable
=, make the same recommendation in a
.ingIa respect. They would each have a
oaTsnaper suited to his special prefer
e,cas and prejudices without regard to
.-a tastes and wants of the rest of the
Grid It does not seem to occur to
them that journalism appeals to mis-
1 oai7aneous audience, and that it must
LIANT itself to the demands Of the many
instead of the wishes of the few, or it will
ioee its occupation. They would have
i cater to a select constituency, forget
rrr that if it had to depend upon Sc
loct constituency for support it would
soon cease to exist.
II is true of most criticism of the news
rapers that it is thus narrow and I'M
reasonable. Any intelligent man can
easily map out a model journal from his
po;nt Of view, but his point of view does
not include the whole field. At themost
il only relates to the opinions and tend
encies of a class, whereas a community
Il is composed of many classes, all having
4 different desires and interests. The ed
4 iror who knows his business seeks to
please the majority and not the minori-
Eo knows that his paper must have
more patrons than any one class can
furnish if it is to thrive and keep pace
with the progress of the age.
his not to besupposed that he regards
bis position as that of man with
q solemn mission for the dispensatiOn Of
n wisdom and virtue, whatever the
II pecuniary results may be. He cannot
afford to take himself so seriously, His
n Functions, as he understands them, are
& of d more practical nature, and expert
ence teaches him that success lies in the
direction of recognizing and gratifying
a variety Of tastes.
In that way only can he secure the
humber of readers necessary to pay the
large and constantly increasing expense
#of gathering the news from all parts OF
a the globe and presenting all current in
formation about the affairs of mankind
+ It is quite likely that he often prints
matter Of a superficial and transient Or
4 der but it has it's value to those who
want it, and that is its justification 50
long as reasonable discrimination is used
IN selecting and apportioning it. Thos
who do not care for it are at liberty t
skip it and read only what they lik,
(which may be equally distasteful to
others.
There would be a great deal less Of this
talk about TIE ideal newspaper if the
critics would stop to think that we are
Il not yet living in an ideal world. TIL
press, like every other public institution.
Is SUBJECT to existing conditions and in
Y 1uenccS and cannot dictate the terms Of
It's own service and prosperity. 1t has
Il come to IFS present state of usefulness
ana Importance through a process of
gradual evolution. There has been a
81 systematic improvement in its character
ana Its proceedings. Tt grows more cred
.'aoIe every year as it's opportunities ex-
'7r Il, ana Its popularity increases.
10 say that it is not perfect is only to
sdy That it shares the prevailing short
'ol-1Hgs Of human nature and is gov
# SS1ea by the law of environment. 1t be-
gan by being luxury, and it has be
June a necessity. This could not have
LaPpened if it had not indicated its
.i81t to such consideration. Things do
~. become indispensable unless they
na,e definite and practical value. 1t is
NV possible to conceive how we could
81. along without newspapers. They oc-
sulH larger place in the system of mod
~. rH civilization = than any other one agen.
VI general convenience and advan
m Sc
s+a me |. people appreciate them, notwith
idi;@nulnS the efforts of certain carpersto
nSparage and discredit them. 1t is not
tr oo mat their faults exceed their vir
r TrS, They perform their appointed