The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-09
The Mission Of the Press.

A correspondent of the Philadelphia
Bulletin-one of those volunteers of the
pen who add variety to the life of news
paper editors by furnishing comment
and advice gratis-writes to that eN-
cellent Journal which already Is per-
haps somewhat overshooting the intel
lectual level of the great bulk of read
crs of daily newspapers, asking IT to
make larger provision for the wants of
that class of readers who are deeply In
terested in literary matters. The argu-
ment he makes in support of this claim
is ingenious, II. not wholly convincing.
He says:
"All daily papers devote pages every
week to sporting topics, because large
portion of the public care great deal
about such subjects, but the space de-
voted to literature and kindred topics
is disproportionately meagre. A paper
like the Bulletin appeals to an intelli-
gent class of readers. Thousands of
them are deeply interested in what is
occurring in the world of thought.
Thousands of them think the appear
ance of great book a more impor-
tant event than the tragic death of a
vulgar and disreputable woman, and
care more to learn what the poets and
novelists, the historians. the scientists
and philosophers are doing than they
do to be enlightened in regard to the
achievements of the base ball players.
the bicyclsts and the race horses. OF
course. a great paper must gratify
many diverse tastes, but is 1t not true
that the tastes of the intellectual and
cultured classes are largely neglected
by most papers?'
This correspondent, we fear, Judges
the publics tastes by his own. He
likes to read book reviews, and there :
fore imagines that Tom, Dick and
Harry share the same eagerness. But
do they? One can judge only by what
one knows through personal expert
ence. During the past two years, The
Tribune has tried the experiment of
devotng from one-hal: a column to
seven columns weekly to book reviews
and literary gossip generally. This de-
partment has not been as well done as
it should have been, although it per-
haps has been as satisfactory to read
ers interested in that kind of reading
as the other departments have been
to readers specially interested In them.
In this period we do not recall that we
have had, all told, more than dozen
Communications for that experiment.
or that it has been the means, so far as
we know. of gaining for the paper one
new subscriber. On the other hand, an
equal space given to sensations or
sports each week would quite quickly
reflect itself In increased sales Of pa
pers. Upon this point no publisher is
uncertain.
We mention this in no spirit Of dis
couragement, for the literary corner
will be maintained, just the same, as
well as time and space will permit. We
mention it merely to give emphasis to
our conjecture that the Philadelphia
Bulletins correspondent is somewhat
mistaken in his premises. What he
says concerning the superiority in in
terest of the appearance Of great book
bringing knowledge or pleasure to un-
numbered thousands Of human beings
over the scandalous death of some dis
reputable woman whose only legacy to
society is an awful example, ought to
be true, and 1t is to the shame Of the.
American people that, with free schools
and free churches everywhere inviting
to a higher level of education and cul-
ture, it is not true. The plain fact,
nevertheless, is that out of ten aver
age buyers of newspapers eight want
sensation. and by reason of that want
are likely, nine times in ten, to get it.
For newspapers are not endowed
against the loss of subscribers and ad-
vertisers; and even If they were all
models of elevated taste they would
be powerless for good unless the people