The record-union., 1894-04-16
THE FUTURE OF JoURNALIsM.

@mce. Third Street. between and X.
THE FUTURE OF JOURNALISM.
In an address delivered before the an
nusl meeting of the California Press As
sociation, Mr.. VIM. II. Mills called atten-
ton to certain existing tendencies in
journalism, and, reasoning from present
causes to future effects, ventured certain
predictions relating chiefly to the sepsra-
ton into parallel currents of two classes
of journalism-the journal of the purely
news type and the organ of opinion.
The astonishing progress made in the
direction of cheapening the cost of pro-
duction of paper will undoubtedly in
augurate a new era in journalism. and
the existing tendencies are certainly very
plainly marked.
In the first place, the volume OF tele-
graphic news now published by the great
leading dailies of the country is far in ex-
cess of the widest dream entertained by
the publisher Of twenty-five years ago.
The cost of telegraphic communication is
less than ten per cent. of its cost quar-
ter of century ago. The introduction
Of type-setting machines is a correlative
Of cheaper telegraphic communication.
The purely news paper is already i'll ex-
istence; by this we mean paper which
bases its claim to public patronage by the
earliest and most voluminous expression
Of the news of the day. OF this class OF
newspapers the New York World is a
type. It is we'll known to the journal
istic profession that the Worlds editorial
expressions are scarcely considered either
by the readers of the paper or the journal
istic fraternity. The World stands at the
head of all the daily papers In the United
States for circulation, and it will not be
denied that it obtained that circulation
because of its treatment of the news, both
as to volume and character.
An organ of opinion must necessarily
depend upon the patronage of those who
agree with it. A very large circulation
for paper strongly attached to either
political or religious opinions is impos-
sible. The great circulation will be the
concomitsnt of paper colorless as to
opinion.
The New York Herald, once at the
head of enterprising journalism in this
country, has always been negative and
colorless as to political opinions. 1t be-
longed to a class of papers known to the
profession as weak on the editorial side.
The Philadelphia Ledger, in times past
one Of the most profitable journals in the
country, was q purely news paper-weak
editorially, uncertain and harmless as q
textbook.
The reduction of cost in the production
of newspaper broadens the opportunity
for individual enterprise in journalism.
The time is now here when sn individual
may do all of the type-setting for weekly
paper. Every man who entertains an
ism may advocate it in time. Editors of
frst-class ability, who have entertained
convictions, but whose convictions have
been cramped and distorted by journal
istic management where the policy is die
tated by the counting-room, will find in
the cheapening of the cost of publishing
paper the opportunity of expressing in
an untrammelled way the convictions of
their minds. A splendid illustration of
this Is found in an individual enterprise
now being successfully prosecuted in the
city of San Francisco.
The potency of printed words or oral
speech lies in the thought expressed.
Ideas alone are great, and great ideas
have never been associated with the sue
cessful purely news paper. Here then is
the beginning of the divergent channels
of journalism.
To secure circulation, devices are con-
stantly resorted to. The coupon device
is plain, open confession that, left to
itself. the public would not have SUBJ
scribed for the journal. The lottery de-
vice proves that it is not the desire for the
paper, but gambling instinct, that is in
ducing subscription. We know Of in
stances where a newspaper offering a
main prize equal in value to 81, 900 has re-
ceived subscriptions for twenty copies OF
its weekly by single subscriber, and
these copies are not distributed to friends
and neighbors, but are left in the Post
Office by the ton. The twenty subscrip-
tions were made in the hope of getting
twenty chances in lottery.
AS rule. the great journals of this
country expect no profit whatever from
their subscription lists. In fact, they pay
out 81 25 for every dollar they receive
and thus free circulation is already inau.
gurated. The publisher who offers fifteen
cents worth of premium for five cents
worth of subscription is already buying
Q circulation. It would appear far more
decent and dignified on his part to give
away his paper at once. The publisher
who demoralizes society by energizing
the gambling instincts of men would con
cerve the public morals by making fres
list equal to 100000 or 100000 of well
established and well-settled respectable
citizens.
The coupon scheme of Worlds Fail
views, the attractive premium and tn,
lottery, are the confessions of publisher