The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-29
C. M. sHoRTRIDGE.s IDEAS.
VIEWS OF ssTHE CALLS EDITOR IN REGARD TIC
legitimate JOURNALISM

1
| LEGITIMATE JOURNALISM.
| New York Fourth Estate, October II.
Charles NJ. Shortridge, proprietor of the San
Francisco CALL and the San Jose Mercury, has
established Eastern headquarters at No. 81
| Park Row, New York. He has handsome offices
overlooking City Hall Park.
A novelty to metropolitan journalists is the
sign on the door, "Walk In" The accustomed
Private is missing and any one can easily
gain entrance to the office OF the San Francisco
journalist.
Mr.. Shortridge is man of very positive con-
victions. He is a ready but earnest talker.
His nephew, David NJ Foltz. will be the East
ern representative of THE CALL and viii have
commodious quarters.
| representative of the Fourth Estate called
on Mr.. Shortridge and found him busily en-
gagged in his Eastern office. He asked the Cali
| fornia editors views on up-to-date Journalism
"Up-to-date journalism comprehends so many
| things" said Mr.. Shortridge, chat I scarcely
know what I could say which would be of in
| terest to your readers. am not unmindful OF
he fact that 1 am here surrounded by the
great journals of New York City. For the past
| twenty years have been working journalist,
and careful student of the leading journals
OF the world. have made, it my business to
| study their plans and purposes, but still do
not feel competent to criticize the metropolitan
press.
81 fear this would be presumptuous; but as
you have done me the honor to seek my views
| regarding up-to-date journalism will not hes
itate to point out one error INDUCED in to dis
graceful extent by many of the leading papers.
refer to the practice of offering premiums in
order to gain subscriptions. For the purpose
OF illustration the press may be divided into
what may term the legitimate and the illegiti-
| mate journalism. We have in various parts of
| the country noble examples of the legitimate
| newspaper. By this mean the straightfor-
ward. carefully edited, clean. condensed,
thoughtful journal, which has mission, a
purpose to perform and goes about it with a di-
| rectness and precision of action calculated to
| arouse the admiration of all Thoughtful men
| and women.
"In contradistinction to this we have the
| taking, the padded, the sensational and the
premium-giving newspaper, which furnishes
the example of what l call the illegitimate.
| The legitimate newspaper strives to put value
into its pages and offers the same for sale upon
It's merits. The other appeals to all the prej1-
dices and lower passions of the people, and in
addition to its cheap it offers all kinds of
premiums as a means of gaining subscribers.
regret to say that some of the great journals
those which deservedly stand high and are be-
lieved in by the people-have fallen into this
gross error.
''Contemplate for q moment this premium
giving business. Every conceivable plan of
attracting public attention has been resorted
to. have devoted considera BILE time in look
ing over the various premium lists offered, and
1 am amazed at the ingenuity displayed by
many managers. In one place I find them CIV
ing books, shotguns, bicycles and fishing
tackle, and In another tickets emitting the
holder TO days outing at the seaside or a trip
around the world. Another gives baby car
riages and washing machines and cook books.
Some have even gone so far as to give race
horses and cheap town lots and tickets to the
circus.
"This, say, is the crying shame and disgrace
of the press of to-day. The up-to-date journal
should scorn such practices 1t is a virtual
| acknowledgment of the inferiority of the pub
lication, and it is an admission that the prod
uct being offered for sale has not sufficient
| merit In itself to attract and hold the thought
| full reader Think, for moment, of some great
author offering spotted pup or yearling calf
| as premium to the subscriber to his book or
publication
"What would you think of the spectacle of
seeing the immortal Blaine's great political
! works offered for sale with a coupon attached
emitting the holder thereof to bicycle or a
| silver watch or cheap suit of clothes? Think
OF the writings OF the loved and venerated
| Greeley being sold with coupon attached
to flying machinel The thought is simply
revolving.
Suppose we should for moment apply this
to the great newspapers and offer them for
sale with these trinkets as an inducement to
readers or q stimulant to purchasers. Is it
not plain that we are not selling the goods
upon their merits? 1t is doing nothing more
nor less than offering cheap chrome as an
inducement to subscribers.
"The great publications of the day are sold
for mere pittance. The price places them
within the reach of all. Why, therefore, offer
these special inducements to gain circulation?
Ii the paper will not sell upon its merits whv
| not improve it? Why not add to its tele-
graphic, its news and its literary departments
the money that is offered in premiums? I
believe the better rule to follow would be
to either reduce the price or improve the merit
OF the publication.
| "In saying this am naturally criticizing the
| practices of a great many of the leading
| journals; but that is no reason why 1 should
| not be permitted to express my honest senti-
ments. To put it mildly, would say the time
has gone by for such illegitimate practices.
The up-to-date newspaper should have moth
ing to do with the sale of books, bicycles or
! bull pups.
II am satisfied, ALSO that the calculations
! obtained by such methods are not permanent:
| uSSIuesJ Tie ApeHSe even though the
premiums offered be and are usually COM
paratively worthless, is considerable. believe
this money could be better invested in engag-
ing cultured writers, skilled artists and in
gathering and condensing the news of the
world.
"The daily newspaper is, indeed, a modern
miracle. The capital and labor involved in
the publication of a metropolitan newspaper is
| stupendous. Is it not humiliating to think
that this great searchlight for truth, this great
mirror in which is reflected all that is best of
modern thought and action, should be offered
Tor sale with coupon attached emitting the
| owner to coach dog2
sit is not only disgraceful, it is unnecessary.
1t is expensive. 1t is deceptive 1t is a false
light put out to attract the thoughtless. It is
cheap way OF attracting the attention to a
production which should rest upon its own
intrinsic merits The practice should be
frowned down. The powerful, thoughtful. re-
liable, patriotic journal should take the place
OF this painted, padded fakir. 1t must not be
forgotten that thousands of honorable mer
chants would be thankful and would apnre-