The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-06

paper can nave all the important news of the world every day In as little or as much space as 1t cares to order and pay for. The organization that makes this possible is so commercial in form that it is often called "the newspaper trust" It is the Associated Press, which, to use it's own description of itself, lis mutu- al organization of newspapers having for its object the collection and distri- button of the important news of the world" The origin of this great ma chine was the combination in the forties of two keen New York newspaper pro- prietors for the purpose of extending their news service in directions that were very expensive. They could hire one boat instead of two to go out to sea to meet the ships from foreign ports and sift the news and prepare 1t TOT the press by the time they got ashore. But from that 1t grew along the line Of rout- ing news, the papers in the agreement supporting one reporter at polht where intelligence that was best when colorless was constantly forthcoming and where competition was costly ana not at all showy It is the beginning or | A monopoly; under the circumstances, a beneficial rather than a harmful one, for 1t tends to restrict the 'indlvlduaH- ty'' and the basis of opinion and taste to other than the news pages. Ana IT there were space to go into the organ1- zations that supply in bulk 'special reading matter, anecdotes descriptive articles, stories and serials, the same ness of third and fourth-rate papers ev- anywhere would be accounted for, put the improvement with financial success of the matter distributed would show commercialism bearing another boon to the commonplace man.
 That, however, is not the view Of the enterprising individual publisher. TO him the improving quality of the out put of the literary syndicates' is no inducement to depend upon them, TOT the equality with other papers is dead- ly to competition, and the matter-ol- fact monotony of the "A. F., as ne calls the Associated Press reports, al though indispensable, are only the pasls of his news service. His object IS not to inform the world. Neither is that what his readers expect of him, The theory which underlies the methods or conducting the business is that most people buy a newspaper for sensation When a man opens his paper he wants surprise-shocks, laughter, tears. IT it were something to think about that he wanted, the best commodity to offer for sale might be editorials, essays and important facts. But the commercial journalist, after studying and testing his market, is convinced that his cus- toners prefer something to talk about. What good does it do me-" said suc- cessful manager, Ito send man off in a day dream? I might as well put him to sleep What want is the reader who likes to talk, and then want to set him talking; to make him turn to the next man and ask him if he has read something in my paper. That ad- vertises the paper and sells 1t, which Is the thing am after"
 why do you go into crime in this city?"
 Because" answered the Boston newspaper manager to whom the ques- tion was put, "the Boston people like 1t as well as New Workers do."
 "But you seem to avoid scandal?"
 We have to be pretty careful about that, for while it would increase the
 circulation it would lose me small
 class of readers who are worth good
 deal to some of our advertisers"
 The most approved. method of getting
 news suited to the assumed predilection
 of the readers is to have it collected py
 the papers own correspondents ana re-
 porters, of whom the enterprsing pub-
 fishers have large and expensive staffs.
 Through them the managing editor
 reaches out for news that no other pa
 per has, for beats" which are believed to be one of the most effective expedi-
 ents for increasing the circulation and
 prestige of a newspaper. An exclusive
 story is supposed to cause talk, to sug-
 gest purchasing to the man who has 1t
 not, to mix up generally in discussion
 the paper and its "beat," and, best of all, perhaps, to instil in the reader in
 terest and pride in This papers" tri' mph.
 While the managing editor is organ izing his various departments, the pup
 fisher goes to work upon the business
 office, beginning by selecting chiel who is to superintend down stairs. He appoints business manager, whose du ties are not only, as in the old days ol journalism, to reap what the editoria ] staffs have sown, but to push the busi , ness of the paper in all directions. The work is divided into departments hert
 also, the composing, press and stereo } typing rooms, with foremen in charge the delivery department, with super { intendent of delivery and his lieutenant - the superintendent of the mailing-room the counting-room; the advertising de l partment and the circulation depart [ ment, with the circulation manager. l The circulation manager of to-day Il so new that not much is known abou t him, and on some papers he is not dis l tinctively differentiated from the super /, intendent of delivery, out of whom h s evolves. He embodies that phase of tn r spirit of commercalism that is calle' c push" As the manager of high of = flee building goes forth in search of ten r ants, and as the bank president, il " more dignified mien, invites depositor e to patronize his institution, so the cir t culation man in the newspaper bushes n sends out his agents to drum up 0 readers. It is slow business to let tn ,, worth of the paper win readers on it t merits. The managing editor might pu S out a sensation a day without man
 people being aware of it. A modern ci1 r culation has to be worked up by artif t cial means, and so important Is thi '- function that the man who does it e paid the salary of an editor. When tn r paner is a new one his work is genera