The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-19
Mr.. w. S. Copeland's Address Before
The Press Association.
PLEA FOR TRUTH AND FAIRNESS.
The Day for the Party Organ Has
Passed. aud the News on Both
Sides of Great Public Questions
Is What the People Want.

Ethics and Mission of the Editor and his
Paper" Mr. Copeland said, in part:
Mr.. w. S. Copeland, editor Of The Times,
read a paper on the Ethics and Mission
OF the Editor and lis Paper" He said.
however, that de preferred 10 make ms
own subject. as the newspaper man usua.N
wrote the head line to III Inc article IN
agine. therefore" he said that you are
about TO listen TO an editorial article, and
the head lines shall be r. Z. v ms
he added would be good motto for
newspaper, even employing the Initials II!
their Virginia Significance, but as ne used
them they stood for Fact Fairness, Viz
ility.''
Under the first division he argued that
tils great mission Of the newspaper was 10
gather tl.a facts and print them. He said
that the reason why there were so many
inaccuracies in newspapers was that tbs
reporter usually got his Information second
.hand. and that The general pubic, not hav-
ing been instructed in the art OF observ-
inc correctly, Were Incapable OF stating
facts az they occurred. But il was the
duty OF the reporter 10 hear with his ears
and see with his eyes, and that in any
question of dispute he would take the
statement of a trained conscientious re-
porter against the world.
ut is for the ronlaucer to see visions and
TO dream Dreams" he went on. ut is for
}
but the mission Of the newspaper Is 20
print news. all the news that's fiji 10 print.
and 10 print it accurately and impartialy-'
In concluding this division of his sub
ject he urged: Brethren, let us print the
news Let US give publicity 10 all things,
which the public have right 10 know.
Let US print the news about the affairs
Of State: let us print the news about public
officials and public institutions. Let US
print the court news, fearlessly and i'm
partially, shielding no criminal OF whatever
station in life. Let Us print the news
about politics. Let US have our own 2oilh-
cal opinions in the editorial columns, but
let our news columns be devoted to the
facts"
PLEA FOR FAIRNESS.
Under the second division he urged that
the papers not only print the news, but
print it with entire fairness.
Fairness" he said. is newspapers
religion and il is that which differentates
1t from the organ. II is for the organ TO
print one side OF the story. 1t is for the
newspaper to print both sides.
Mr. Copeland said that he had observed
g. decided improvement in this respect IN
the Virginia newspaper. He commended
TO his hearers as a model Of fair and lear
less reporting the Bible. which. he con-
tended was the fairest book ever written.
1'The men who wrote that wonderful
book said he, wrote in honesty, in SIN
cerity and in a spirit of perfect fairness.
They told the exact truth, they spared no
tnan not even the Lords elect
In illustration Of this he cited several
Bible incidents, notably the following:
f,klng David, the slayer Of Goliath, the
sweet singer of Isruel. the Lords an
nointed the most popular King that
Israel ever had committed a great crime.
Nathan called HIM 10 account, and in
dramatic way showed him the enor1nity
OF his offense." Are we quite sure that
II this thing Ind occurred in these times
it would rot have been hushed up? l
shall not say, but l do know that the
scandal at King David's court was most
tnerctlessly exposed by the reporter VINO
wrote the story.
az say" in conclusion, that nowhere
else in the world is 10 be found more
splendid examples of concise, accurate
and fair reporting than in this Book OF
Books. AS it IS the guide for all human
conduct, so il Is, par excellence. the euide
for the reporter. l have said that fair
ness is a newspapers religion l con-
clude this department of my subject by
submitting that il is good Bible religion
THE PAPERS STRENGTH.
Coming lastly to speak of ''vrility, ne
said that this was newspaper manhood,
newspaper courBge, newspaper character
SiTIlity was the courage OF conVlcuon-
the courage that dared to do right, the
courage that feared TO do wrong. The
promoter Of yellow journalism had tried
TO make il appear than the modern news
paper was mere commodity mnnufac-
tuved TO sell, and that so long as it was
gaudy the rest counted for nothing. MI
Copeland said that II would be a sad day
for this country when that idea was
adopted by publishers.
But that day will never come he
OIL ,-ay,,-I ioTz q yellow
journalists idea The abiding newspa-
per, the newspaper that will establish
itself in the hearts of the people, IS the
independent journal of character DO
mot know what the future newspaper VIII
be, but ] do know that the day of news
paper organs is past The only journal
ism that is making any Roadway, says the
editor of q leading newspaper, is the indie
pendent press. Independent in its men
sal and moral equipment, owing no man
Servility''
AS 10 the mission of the editor, Mr.
Copeland thought that 1t was TO pro-
claim the truth; to build up and not 10
pull down; TO promote the moral and ma
rerial welfare Of his constituency; 10 con-
denim that which is wrong: 10 applaud
that which is right; TO send good morals
entertaining stories and good cheer into
every home, 1t SHOULD be his aim so to
conduct his paper as that when. the
said of him that he made the world bet
Ter and purer by having lived
TWO PROMINENT FIGURES.
In conclusion he said:
Il have in mind TWO editors, one living
1t the North, the other living a; the South.
who were, IN their day and generation. the
most conspicuous men. each IN his section,
an the profession The one is remembered
for the enemies that he made and the marsh
things that ne said about them: the other
for the multitude Of his friends, even 10
This day, and FOR MS words of loving kind
ness, The one Is remembered for the strife
ana eiscord that he created; the other as
the greatest peace-maker Of the age.
Charles A Dana was the Napoleon of
Journalism. His pen was his sword. and
the course OF his life may be traced by
the victims that he laid low. Henry W
Grady was the good Samaritan with the
Red Cross Of mercy on his sleeve, going
UP and down the land from north 10 south
and south 10 north, n1in!s1ering 10 those
who had fallen by the way. binding up
their wounds and pouring In oil and wine.
Dana the