The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-08-15
a LIBEL ON rmE PRESS.

The Reply to Criticism by George Rog,
Srs-ThO Newspaper Profession rurlr..
lug Itself
CiatipRaH Tma. tar
In Philadelphia new ostholical peri
odical, Moods, George Rogers attempts
to answer the question; 'What are the
distinctive idioIyncraSieI Of thought
and conscience which tits tho tendency
Of newspaper work, considered In its en-
ltrOty, 10 eYolyO?H II il an interesting
thOmO, but altogether too large for Mr..
Rogers to handle adequately. Hero Is
one OF his goneraiEAtionS;
Consider tho result upon tho mind
OF habitually regarding tho statement OF
an occurrence from the point OF view Of
its interest, Is that likely to DO salu.
tAY? Is It not almost certain to hs
delaterlousl Aud yet that Is ths news
paper mans hRbitual mental attitude
toward every article which comes under
his professional notice. lIit TOadablo2
IL what he thinks and matters arc not
at all helped by the circumstance TINT
articles which toll OF deeds OF virtue
and Of right are not by tho average man
or woman adIulged to bo the most en-
tortaining, This elimination Of the
moral element from the consideration
Of tho judgment Ia not nor it cannot
come to GOOD"
1t Is unfortunately true that thers are
newspapers which practically "olim-
mate tho moral elomsnW by soliciting
matters for publication solely with rei.
erGnCe to their readablOness and wholly
regardless Of their merits, but auch
papers are the exception, 40 make
them types OF the American press Ia a.
unfair as it would DO to make Sam Jones
type OF the American pulpit.
The first question with every worker
on reputable newspaper in any mat
ter under consideration 10, IL 1t true or
q iake2 And next, What 10 it4 relative
importance among the thousand mat
ters to bs consderedP The truth OF
the matter ana its relative importance
having been settle the third question ia,
How can it ba made most presontable2
To answer the frat question requires
tho skill Rnd Rcumeu OF u detective,
To answer the second requires. u wide
range OF information, discriminating
| judgment and a quick eye for proper.
ton. Tho third Is mainly question
Of tas,S "a Il has TO do with tho style Of
tho writing aud the selection OF typo
aud headlines IN tho printing
Of the matter to bo presented.
This Is the newspaper workers
daily and hourly task. II il
difficult to conceive Of any routine OK.
erciso better calculated for tho school.
ing Of all the mental faculties. So far
from having q tendency to warp tho
Judgment and blunt the moral sensi-
bilities, az Mr. Rogers would have US
believe, the reverse is true TO q greater
extern. than with the work OF any other
att or profession, The preacher Ia paid
to preach Il certain doctrine, and would
bs rocrsaut to his trust il he did not.
The lawyer is paid to present one side
oil the case aud Loyalty looks after tho
iRters,t Of his client, but the journalist
Is without professional bias Generally
unknown aud without personal inter.
ests to serve, his ambition ia to view
every question in fair spirit and pass
II on its merits.
II iS due to this very newspaper habit
that the press owes Its growing power
Fifty years ago the leaders OF public
opinion were in the pulpit, at the bar,
IN tho senate or on the lecture platform,
while the newspaper reflected more or
eaS fully their sentiments. To-day 1t is
the public speakers who reflect, to n
great extent, tue opinionI Of tho press,
AnalyZo a speech in the senate or an
essay in the magazines and the chances
are you find an array OF facts and Rrgu.
ments which Bomo anonymous newspn.
per worker has iaboriousiy collected,
slltsd and set in order as part Of his
daily task. For the first announce.
mont OF n public policy or an original
discussion OF tho latest political or eco.
nomic questions oil the day people no
longer look to tho orators, bu. to the
daily papers. Formerly everybody who
failed at everything else tried his hand
at editing newspaper. Now II attracts
tho best talent Of the country and those
who fail in 1t sock tho easier HeIds OF
law, medicine and divinity. The nows.
paper profession is purifying itself. Tho
unIctupulous aud the violent are going
to the rear and moro judiCious and
conscientious workers arc coming to
tho front. Much Of tho criticism OF tho
press, OF which Mr.. Rogors ls q sam.
pie, 10 out Of date.