New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-16
THE PRESS HER SUBJECT
MRS. SHINN TALKS ABOUT THE TRUE
AND THE FALSE JOURNALISM

The Cniversalst women of the metropolitan dis
trict held the last and most important meeting Of
the season yesterday at the Universast church in
Jersey City. Mrs Charles X. Eaton. the president,
was in the chair and conducted the business part
81 the exercises. Mrs. A. j. Newbury read paper
the current topics Of the day touching briefly
IN the Cuban policy OF the Government. and the
latest thoughts in music. and literature Mrs
Charles Miller considered the religious news. CIV
Ing encouraging accounts Of the good work being
done in the local UNCONVENTIONAL churches
Mrs Charles H. Vail literary chairman Of
the day and presented a programme OF unusual ex-
celence. The general topic Journalism and
Life" Mrs. Vail congratulated herself and the
audience in having secured able a journalist as
Mrs. L. Z. Shnn consider the first part OF tho
subject. Journalism: True and False.
Mrs Shinn said, in part. that the daily press Is
the magic mirror into which people look each Gay
and there the record Of the whole worlds pass
ing show. faithful record IT should be. and gen.
orally IS she added The speaker asserted that the
difference between true and false Journalism oon-
sisted In the way In which tho daily record OF
events is placed before the public eye True jour
nalism does not mean the suppression OF dreadful
things and printing only pleasant ones. nor is 1t
bad Journalism to give detailed account OF
news. good bad.
A paper 10 be successful must give all the news.
but the manner in which 1t is given-"Aye. there s
the rub
Mrs Shinn illustrated the three ways Of telling
n
low
First. the brusque frankness OF calling a spade
a spade: the blssfu medium OF toning down facts
by tender. facetious descriptive setting; and
Vastly the art Of taking little. wrggling garter
kflakA Of fact and weaving around II writing.
pythonic fancy. Between the brutal facts and tho
lurid fancy lies the smooth Of true Journalism
The speaker believes no woman can be counted
grea, among journalists. because the sex wants IN
the virtue OF tolerance. ana somehow can only iooh
a
She considered it ii hopeful sign OF the times
that the trash formerly printed in the sensational
press growing less. and that II exists a. an si.e
thinks is due 10 the Endorsement Of fairly intelh'
gent people who buy the papers that nave II ~
MOI half so demoraiizng the suggestive pictures
which deals unsparngly with every Puphc ah1
private event. The clergymen and pohtlcaI men Oh
rauers for money said 10 be 'Oots on the
escutcheon OF honorable Journalism In closlns'
Mrs shnn took an optimistic view OF r,ras
believing that tho false in spite OF seeming pros.
neritv had reached its zenith and such ones are
outnumbered by the good and true nne 10 one,
while the eternal fact remains that Whatever IL
cleancst and best commands the longest ana hign-
DR. De Hart took the second part OF the subject,
fuence II 1 good newspaper next 10 that OF a
mother She spoke OF the power for good wleIde1t
n selecting reading matter that comes from educa-
ton and the faculty Of seeing the lru, neon and q
b,ief disrussjon followed after which luncheon
was served. attended with pieasaht alu ho'-
greetings among the friends OF dncTent churcnes,
~ sf,ernoor session was devoted 70 the annual
.,ec,,on he following being the officers selected
for he coming year: Mrs. Charles H. Eaton, u i
ne pev Alice x Wright. second Vlce-presi9en.'
Mrs walker W Marston: third vice-preTs rs ~
Mr., Charles H vsi recof ecne,srv Mrs Ellen v
PeechAr. treasurer Miss Mary Ha""N