The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-08-16
PROVO CITY.
HOW TO READ NEWSPAPERS.

Everybody in his own estimation
knows how to publish newspaper,
but those who read newspapers SO in
telligently as to get the benefit of their
reading are few and far between.
First, as to general news. A good
newspaper Flll publish news item as
nearly correct as possible. If in its
character atIonal, embellished as
the report lr'e genius may suggest will
make it racy as possible within the
limit of TO proprietles-but mainly
true.
Advertise contain what people
saw about 'aa-aat.- s,in those particu-
lars in Wh;ea they specially desire to
be known, and generally contain that
which a man be. ewes # himself or his
business, or whatever else he adver-
tises-written and printed so as to at
tract the eye and attention, but not
necessarily untrue OF even eXagger-
atedly true.
The news published in newspaper
should be read in the light of presum-
ing it is truth in palatable form so far
asa reporter Is able to gather it. The
first duty of a reporter is to get the
truth if he can, and he will aim to tell
it truthfully, unless he is born liar,
and working for a paper whose main
stock in trade is dishonesty. A re-
porter is a paid gossiper. with this
difference, a gossiper tells everything
he or she can think of, true or untrue,
and wants to be heard, whether be-
lieyed or not, a reporter wants to tell
truthfully all the news he can gather,
and yet at the same time displease as
few readers as possible.
An advertiser wants to be known or
understood, If in business, he wants
people to know what he is desirous OF
doing, what he has to sell and how ne
sells it. If established in business
he cannot afford to make a mis-
take even in his advertisement,
much less to wilfully try to deceive
the public. A business man knows
that he is paying out money to de-
stroy his business if he seeks to de-
ceive the public by falsehood in his
advertisements.
Statement of matters in controversy
when published as paid advertisements
are usually one-sided and merit care
full scrutiny from readers. Cards OF
acknowledgement or thanks, are the
bon mots of society, designed to en-
hance the pleasure of human life, they
are like the cushions on the seats of
carriages, they do not shorten the dis
tance to be travelled but they weaken
the effect of the jolts Of the carriage
upon the traveller most wonderfully.
The writings of the editor demand
careful criticism; he has policy to
execute, which is to direct the minds
of readers into certain grooves OF
thought-to make definite subjects
prominent, hence his personal charac-
ter is an important factor to be con-
sidered by the reader, not publicly dis
Cussed, but his writings carefully con-
sidered. If his writing is sophistical it
should be critically scrutinized; if log
ical, reasoned upon; if personal, re-
garded as the worst kind of gossip; ii
based upon professed principles, the
right or wrong of the alleged princi-
pie enquired into; if flippant, tossed
aside with like fippancy; if partisan,
despised as all partisanship should be;
if fair and honorable, considered fairly
and honorably-in word editors in
their work should be treated like other
human beings, some are truthful and |
good, some are born liars and corrupt, |
and we can, none of US, conceal our
inherent virtues or viciousness from
the pnblic. The great public will weigh |
US, and all we have right to ask is,
that our readers hold the scales fairly
but by all means we must insist upon
being weighed separately, and let
those of us who are only shams, and
be rejected as worthless
as barnacles upon the noble ship
of journalism, and just credit given
to those who are truthful and honor
able.