Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-18
IDEAL NEWSPAPERS.
THEY EXIST FOR ALL CLASSES OF So
GETTY AND NOT FOR ONE.

wherein Lies the Eault OF Most 1ntellt-
gent Critieism of the Modern Newspa-
pcrs and Their Methods of Gathering and
Presenting the News.
The Massachusetts, Society For the
Promotion of Good Citizenship has late
ly been addressed by several distinguish
ed gentlemen in a series of lectures upon
the subject of journalism. and the re-
suit should be clear understanding of
what is necessary to constitute the ideal
newspaper. Unfortunately, however.
these philosophers are at hopeless CON
traries. No two of them agree upon
any essential point. They have conflict
ing views not only rs to the casual fea-
lures of the case, but also as to the
fundamental facts. What one consid-
ers n drawback another declares to be
an advantage. Their methods of anal
ysis and Judgment differ as widely as if
they were designed simply to bewilder
the average mind. They are in harmony
only upon the proposition that there is
great room for improvement in the daily
press.
When il comes 10 telling how the im-
provement should be made, they have
their individual notions and are unable
to make the same recommendation in 4
single respect. They would each have a
newspaper suited to his special prefer
ences and preiudices without regard To
the tastes and wants of the rest of the
world. 1t does not seem TO occur to
them that journalism appeals to a mis-
cellaneous audience, and that ii must
adapt itself to the demands of the many
instead of the wishes of the few. or it will
lose its occupation. They would have
it cater TO a select constituency, forget
ting that if it had to depend upon a Sc
lect constituency for support it would
soon cease to exist.
1t is true of most criticism of the news
papers that it is thus narrow and I'M
reasonable ANY intelligent man can
easily map ont n model journal from his
point of view, but his point of view does
not include the whole field. At the most
il only relates TO the opinions and tend
tncies of a class, whereas n community
is composed of many classes, all having
different desires and interests The ed
itor who knows his business seeks to
please the majority and not the minori-
+ ". He 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.
1t is not To he suppose i that he regards
his position as that of n man with a
solemn mission for the dispensation Of
wisdom and virtue. whatever the
pecuniary results may he. He cannot
afford to take himself 81 seriously. His
functions. as he understands them, are
of a more practical nature. and expert
encc teaches him that success lies in the
direction Of recognizing and gratifying
variety of tastes.
In that way only ,au he secure the
number of readers necessary 10 pay the
large and constantly increasing expense
of gathering the news from all parts of
the globe and presenting all current in
formation about the affairs of mankind.
1t is quite likely that he often prints
matter of 4 superficial and transient or.
der, bat it has its value To those who
want it. and that is its justification -
long as reasonable discrimination is used
in selecting AMI apportioning it. Thos,
who do not care for it are AT liberty Il
skip il and read only what they like
which may be equally distaSteful I,
others.
There would bc a great deal less of thi:
talk about the ideal newspaper if tn,
critics would stop to think that we ar
not yet living in an ideal world. ThS
press. like every other public institution
is subject to existing conditions and in
fluences and cannot dictate the terms oi
its own service and prosperity. 1t ha.
come TO its present state of uSefulneS:
and Importance through a process oi
gradual evolution. There has been :
and its proceedings. 1t grows more cred
liable every YEAR rs its opportunities eX
tend and its popularity increases.
To say that it is not perfect is only /,
say that il shares the prevailing short
comings of human nature and Is gov
erncd by the law of environment 1t ls'
gan by being luxury, and it has b
come n necessity. This could not hav,
happened ii it had not vindicated it.
right to such consideration. Things j,
not become Indispensable unless the,
have definite and practical value. 1t /
not possible IL conceive how We coulc
get along without newspapers. They O.
cupy larger place in the system Of mod
vrn civilization than any other one agen
" Of general convenience and advan
: tage
The people appreciate them, notwith
standing the efforts Of certain carpers :,
lsrarage and discrcdit them. Il is no
t-ua that their faults exceed thei- Viz
, tues. They perform their arpointe,
work with diligence. discretion and
duo sense OF responsibility. The wors
that can be said of them is that they at
not better than the world in which the,
arc published. But they ara unquestion
. ably twice as good as the world whicl
makes them what they are. and when i
reaches the ideal standard they will &c
there also.-St. Louis Globe Democrat