San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-31
Hoods Pills sass to s easy s is ss'
WHAT THEY WANT.
The Sort of Stuff the yellow Journ-
ais" Pay High For.


ais" Pay High For.
The term yellow journalism" is
comparatively new one. yet it's gem
eral use and the excellent purpose it
serves to describe certain style of
newspaper publication will soon give
it an assured place in the word books
of the English language. The meaning
of the term is Illustrated daily by the
issue of certain papers in New York
City, whose proprietors believe that
the way to financial success must be
publications of sensations. yellow
journalism means therefore. sensa-
tionalism,i it is the extreme form. The
public knows of it by the results as
shown in the columns of these papers,
but it does not SO well know of the
methods by which the results are pro-
duced. Let us, therefore, illustrate
these methods by means of a letter re.
ceived here yesterday by citizen some
time connected with the newspaper
business in this city. We suppress the
names of the parties to the correspond
ence. since they are immaterial to the
illustration.
lhC lCttCl OCSihc uc iOiV"e.
"Some days ago, Mr.. -, editor of
the Sunday edition of the there the
reader may insert the name of the
most yellow of the yellow journals of
New YOrk)-mentiOned to me that he
would like to have a five or six-cOlumn
story of the yellow fever in the south,
and asked me if would write it. Hav-
ing had no personal experience OF the
disease and possessing no data or in
formation concerning it, Of course
could not attempt such a thing
We may remark that it IL a wonder
the editor did not discharge him on the
spot The idea of pretending that be-
cause he had no knowledge of the
subject he could not write five or six
columns about 1t in the yellow style.
1t seems that the reporter was a new
conner, however, and, perhaps, 1t was
in consideration of this fact the editor
did not press the matter. The cores
pOndence continues:
81 Immediately thought of you and
determined to ask you to write the
story, knowing that If you were not
too busy and were inclined to under
take ii, no one could do the work bet
ter"
Then he proceeds to tell what sort of
story will suit the ideas of the New
York editor. 1t is an unique EXPOSE
ton of yellowism.
81 have heard of several instances
where men have risked their lives to
succor a friend struck down by the
dread disease. These instances and
number of manufactured instances of
heroism thrown in, would lend drama
tic and human interest to the story.
You know better than | can tell you
what is wanted"
This we regard as doubtful compli-
ment to the Mobile man. Evidently 1T
is not entirely sincere, however, for the
writer ventures to parthularize for the
Mobile mans instruction:
"We want n story, strange, unusual,
sad, pathetic, unique, humorous, dra-
matte. horrible and few dozen other
things, yet teeming with facts and the
names of prominent people. A num-
Der of illustrative photographs would
add greatly to it's effectiveness. Get
Mrs. Augusta Evans Wilson and Mr..
DeLeon to talk"
But we forbear. There is more OF
it. but the rest is too unique dramatic,
and horrible 1t relates to the prom
Use of large sum of money for the
suggested pack of lies concerning the
sufferings of our people during the
time of disease and death through
which they have passed.
1t is rather q bad sign of the times