The Washington bee., 1898-02-05

dl tue OulSel l0dt all the matter that
finds its way into the noncomplaining
framework is not necessarily worth
less; it is unavailable; and behind
the breadth and height of that most
elastic term the judicious editor fire.
guently retreats when called upon to
explain his lack of good sense in de-
clinIng to present to the public some
of the extremely interesting facts and
fancies that you ofmy audience or other
dwellers, in the midst of our scribblinq
civilization have seen fit to submit
to the editor for his judgment. 1t
would be quite difficult, if not practi-
cally impossible, for me to give YOU
more than an indifferent idea of the
editors application of that word "un-
available" Much easier would it be
and much less wasteful of your time
to sketch with rough outlines what we
regard as available matter.
All news is available; no item of any
real news can be SO small that il can
be classified with the unavailable.
1t may not be we'll written and il may
lack features that entitle it to anything
more than local consideration, but the
deficiency in composition can be
amended and will be amended by any
editor who knows his business. but
when we forsake the news field
and wander over literary heights,
through the green pastures of fancy,
and beside the generally placid stream
OF poetry-stopping occasionally to
ruftie its surface or disturb its depths
we lose our grip on the editor, whether
willingly or unwillingly, and must take
our chances with thousands who
through natural desire or stress of cir
cuEStanCeS devote their energies to
the business of writing for the press.
have said, perhaps with some en-
phaSiS, that your editors need waste
baskets. A very large percentage of
the matter published in your press
should have gone to the waste basket
In the hrst instance; as things now
are we SO frequently put the news
paper In the waSte-baSket and that pro-
Ceeding you must admit cannot be
defended on economic grounds for in
the preparation of the newspaper,
whether it be good, or bad or merely
indifferent, there had been an expen-
diture of valuable if misplaced time,
energy and money.
of the personal, biographical. sketches.
Such sketches, when well written-:f
the subject be meritorious-are useful
to point morals and to excite emula-
tion but their frequent repetition and
fulsome adulation must weary even
those whose praises are being sung,
and the inevitable net result is the
arousing of public suspicion as to the
motives OF the publisher. When it
once appears that personal interest
are being served by such publications
as those of which now speak then the
influence of that newspaper for good is
either seriously damaged or totally de
-
The waste-basket. is needed for the
personal" and for the
lmpertinent personals" and for the
malicious gossip. badly written as a
rule yet framed with a view OF eyading
law by the narrowest pos
sible margin.
Then there ought to be piled into
the baskets the frequently and vio-
lently reiterated statements that this
or that newspaper is the best of its
kind ever published and that no other |
ever could or can hope 10
compete with it; all of which state |
ments are completely disproved by
one reading of one issue
| wish you had waste-baSket large
enough to accommodate those news
paper publishers who know nothing of
the commonest rules of language, who |
are content with blurred topography,
who ignore proof-reading, who launt J
their ignorance of, f,spelling twenty times
in column, become enthusiastic on |
The subject of skin bleaching and di
rect the attention of their patrons to |
guaranteed to take the
curl out OF human hair; who seem to
care for nothing SO long as their in.
comes from subscriptions, advertise
nents, and other sources are sufficient
% satisfy their daily needs; who have
10 thought for the future of their race
and who care for nothing above or be-
5ond their own personal, selfish and |
unprincipled interests. i'll
We had such basket we would prob
ably tind it difficult to put in it all the
people who deserve to find a resting
place in its depths. 1t is calamitous
condition.
Some of you will undoubtedly saw
nat my criticisms are as closely appli-
able. in the main, to editors whose
skins are white. Such a statement
would be indisputably true, but am
lot going to permit myself to draw
myself into a racial controversy. With
ceilings OF the utmost friendship have
briefly and crudely discussed the Ne
sro press as it has appeared to me. III
lave been frank, because to be other
wise would be unfair to you and to NV
conscience. You have accomplished
narvels in one generation and you are
lestIned to great achievement in the
ears to come but your progress will
'e dlsappointingly slow if you rest sat-
shed with things as they are. Inn
'rovement must be steadily rapid and
know Of no keener or more effective
p.ur than unbiased and friendly crit
ciSm.
Much, if not all that have said to-
light has been known to you for some
lme. There is not within the sound
q my voice asthinking man or woman
'ho does not know the real duty of
ne negro press to the Negro.
Yes there is another house in this
ltV who maize all b;oA. Q,-.I Jz-z- II