The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-08-22
THE LOCAL PRESS.


While there is much truth in the
Stars complaint about Government |
officials being too reticent to the
local press, the Honolulu newspapers
have not so very much reason to be
jealous over favoritism shown to cor
respondents OF foreign papers.
When the false and misleading ele.
ments are eliminated from most of
the Honolulu correspondence that
goes abroad, there is very little found
in it as a rule which is news or in
formation to local residents. Some
foreign correspondents who are en-
ployed on the local press, and who
from political associations here have
the inside track, frequently keep
back news from their local readers
so as to leave something fresh for
their foreign communications. These
certainly have no right to complain
of discrimination against the local
press by the authorities. 1t is
not so true as some people seem
to think, either, that foreign cores
pondents cast local reporters into
the shade by superior work. Such
people forget that the correspondent
for foreign paper has one special
line of news only that he is expected
to collect and forward. In this work
he has all the advantage of the
groundwork furnished by the local
papers, and if he has any originality
at all he can see points in local
items, that need only be brief on
account of the general knowledge
of residents, which may be elabor-
ated with advantage for foreign
readers. Another advantage he
doubtless has--in the very respect
of which the Star complains-in that
being a stranger and perhaps repre-
senting paper of considerable emf
nence. he receives the more atten,
ton and consideration both from
public men and private person
ages. Above all he has from one
to three weeks between foreign
mails in which to gather, arrange
compile, sift and polish his subject,
matter His work comes back tC
Honolulu, occupying perhaps from
two columns to one page OF his pa
per. Straightway residents are heard
admiring his ability and his indus
try, and perhaps to the disparage
inent of their acquaintance of the
local press. Yet while the stranger
has been putting his communication
together, the unjustly despised loca
man has flied as many pages as the
other has columns, covering not
merely the political but the com
mercial, judicial and social features
of Honolulu in the time involv.
ed. Not only that, but the local
journalist has to rush his news tc
the printers as fast as he can col
lect it, recording events that are al
yet not fully developed but have
= to be read in connection with botl
past and expected intelligence
Moreover, in small newspaper con
stituency such as this, the loca
journalist has not the benefits of
division of labor, which through tn
complete departments Of metropc
Titan journal is one of the chic
factors in making great moder
newspaper a great modern marve
e He has to cut stories short for limit
I ations of both time and space whe
J the interest Of the subjects woul
Il justify elaborate treatment, an
Il often is compelled to devote time t
{ small details of getting to press wit
i which the reporter in large plac
! has never to concern himself. No
g withstanding all this there is Yer
q little "home news from abroad" t
u be found on critical examinatio
+ of Honolulu correspondence in TO
5 eign papers, and Il good deal Of whs
there is Of such will leave but
beggarly residuuln of fact upo
analysis.