Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-28
A NEWSPAPER TRUs1s

Editor Harmsworth. of the London
Daily Mail, perhaps the most progress
sive newspaper in England, is on a
visit to this country, and according to
the New York dispatches entcrtains
startling views as to probable develop
inents in the newspaper field in the
future He believes that the trust
principle will be applied to newspapers
as 1t has been to other enterprises, and
that the result will be gigantic com
bination owning practically all the
newspapers of the country, operating
its own paper mills, machine shops and
ink factories, and in general conduct
ing its business as other trusts do.
Given the man, the organization, the
capital and the OCCASION he thinks
there would be little difficulty in per-
fectng the newspaper trust, or 1.-The
simultaneous newspaper" as he calls it.
On the surface there does not ap-
pear to be more obstacles in the way
of such n combination than have been
surmounted in the formation of other
trusts. Mr.. Harmsworths suggestion.
idle dream. y newspaper trust would
be logical development, if the trust
era continues. 1t would be n weapon,
offensive and defensive, of the other
trusts 1t would be the most powerful
of all trusts because it would be able
to debauch public opinion by conceal
ing the truth and disseminating false
hood. Once thoroughly established, it
could with peculiar ease, make indie
pendent newspaper ventures impossi-
bic in local fields. 1t might easily
pass to n monopoly of newspaper ma
terials. thereby making the printing of
an INDEPENDENT newspaper a physical
impossibility.
Observant men will, therefore, not
quarrel with this phase of Mr.. Harms
worths proposition. The amazing fact
is that he should contend that 1.-The
simultaneous newspaper would repre-
sent standard of excellence which
has never before been attained" and
that it would be "a terror TO evil doors
and to the supporters of anything
inmical to the commonwealth" 1t is
scarcely necessary to point out that
the trust has not brought a STANDARD
of excellence never before attained" in
other enterprises. Complete monopoli-
cation has almost invariably been fol-
lowed by deterioration in the quality
of the trust product. This has been
the history of monopoles from time
immemorial. Does anybody believe that
with competition eliminated the pres
ent keen alertness of the newspaper
is manifestly absurd.
What. then, shall be said OF the asser-
ton that the newspaper trust would be
"A terror to supporters of anything
inimical to the commemorative" Mr.
Harmsworth lives in England, and
much may be pardoned him, but how
did he come to be so lamentably igno-
rant of the nature of the trust as we
have 1t? There are already newspapers
in this country-indeed in nearly every
State of it-that are virtually under
trust control. y more or less careful
study OF them makes it impossible to
treat Mr. Iarmsworth's assumption
with anything more serious than mirth
and derision. a trust organ a terror
to the supporters of anything inimical
to the commonwealth" Even n Bri-
toms sense of humor should have saved
Mr. Harmsworth from the preparation
OF anything so ridiculous.
1t is scarcely necessary to point out
the sort of freedom of the press" we
should have under the newspaper trust,
or to say that it's individuality is the
very life of a newspaper. The news
paper at it's best is an institution, not
merely the product of type and ink and
paper. Rob it OF it's individuality and
you rob it of the quality by which it
attracts and holds its readers. Deprive
it of its freedom and you deprive it of
the respect of intelligent men. People
might read trust newspapers because
they could do no better, but the news
paper as an institution would be robbed
OF its prestige, though not of it's power
to do incalculable harm. a trust in
newspapers would be dangerous chiefly
because it would suppress the truth
and make intelligent public opinion an
impossibility. No greater disaster could
befall the country.
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The returns from Kentucky's holt
QaV festivities orn co1rirJotad m p,ot,a