Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-03-22

eirculatioDs. The paper is sold at
about cost. But for the advertising
receipts, papers would cost more than
double what they now do. We imag-
Inc that some who are Mortified TO see
certain kinds of ads. in paper would
object to paying twice as much for II
if they were omitted. Then the great
bulk of readers are not offended.
Tastes differ. Publishers aim to salts
/ fy the demand for a clean newspaper,
as the great majority of readers define
it, but they cannot appease all. We
do not mean to say, though, that there
are not many times when the publish
er would personally prefer to refuse
ads. and many times he does refuse
them. Mr.. Sheldon, running his ideal
paper for brief time, could do things
that the ordinary editor could not-and
meet his bills.
At the outset Editor Sheldon defined
news las anything in the way of daily
events that the public ought to know
for its development and power in life
ofnghteousness." If there is anything
the public mind rebels against ii is the
idea that anyone can tell it what it
ought and ought not to know. Censor
ship of the press has never proven pop
ular. The public claims absolute free
dom to know what it chooses to, either
for its spiritual or its temporal deyel-
Opment, and no man can sit in judg
ment on it. AS well try to set up shop
and say that one will sell, not what the
people inquire for, but what the mer-
chant thinks they ought to buy. The
newspaper is no more competent 10 say
what a man shall read than the man
himself. The idea is pure tommyrot.
News is what the public wants to know
about what is going on, and not some
ones idea OF what il ohght 10 know.
Mr.. Sheldon stated that 1T might
easily become the settled policy of a
paper similar to this one, to
consider the detailed account Of an I'M
usual battle as of less Importance to the |
reader than an account Of the usual |
daily destruction being caused by liz |
uor." Well, if he thinks this is the /
proper mission Of the daily newspaper
he is correct and the rest of mankind /
Is wrong. Imagine the report of the
battle OF Santiago or Manila tucked off
IN some little corner of the paper. with
about a paragraph on it, and the first
page leader devoted to statistics on
Would you buy that pa
Der? And are your tastes depraved
md the paper that gives you what you
want, is that doing wrong? Sheldon
nay say yes, but the world says he is
mistaken.
Mr.. Sheldon devoted a great deal OF
lis space to exploitation of his own So
,ial, religious and moral ideas, even
lnder the guise of news. He also re-
Produced several musty articles on the
anime in India and on national prohi-
,ition. lie opposed the wars in the
and South Africa. He
rankly stated that he had no political
and did not know which
,arty was right. If he cannot settle so
ordinary a theme as this to his own
isn't it singular that he
IAN determine far more weighty prob
emsP He almost banished the tele-
graph matter, and locals were largely
devoted to church topics. But for the
Juror over it, anyone would have pass
d the sheet over as dry and stale with
nut further thought. 1t is sufficient
on it as successful news
paper TO state that the cirulations of
he other Topeka newspapers largely
during the week. People |
'ead Sheldon's paper out Of curiosity, |
,ut took the others for news. Curios-
ty is soon spent.
The experiment was for week only.
L is said the chief owner OF the paper
S inclined to continue it according to
5heldon's ideal, but he is probably de-
,eived by the big temporary rush of
business that came in. The other stock
holders object, and the courts may
nave to settle the momentous problem
Of whether it is possible to run success
July daily newspaper as Jesus would
JeiI-O, The New Dessert,
pleases all the family -Four davors:- Lemon,
orange, Raspberry aud strawberry. Al your gro