Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-12-19
PRINTING IN THE SOUTH.
A Newspaper Man Discusses Some Of the
Difficulties Of Honest journalism.

A Newspaper Man Discusses Some OF the
Difficulties Of Honest journalism.
A demand is sometimes made for
newspapers that tell the truth. Some
people refer slightingly to the contents
Of newspapers as being Of suspicious
character so far as its veracity is con-
cerned, and say that newspapers should
the whole truth and nothing but the
truth.
It does not always suit to tell the
truth. The truth Is sometimes better
left untold. The same people who COM
plain because the newspapers do not
tell the truth also criticise the newspa-
pers for being too sensational. II the
newspapers should print what they
know, there would be some sensations
indeed. They would state sometimes
that Colonel Blank, one of our proni-
nent citizens, Is Ill at his home with
the Jim jams," when instead they very
kindly say that he Is indisposed, or
unwell. They might also chronicle that
Miss Sallie Smithers, the homeliest
and sourest tempered woman we have
ever seen, has at last managed to get
married." when they considerably de-
scribe her as beautiful and amiable and
as the belle Of the town.
If they wanted to tell the truth they
could say that the Rev. Long Wind,
bored his congregation nearly to
DEATH" when instead they describe his
sermon as magnificent and powerful
discourse, which deeply moved his
hearers and held their rapt attention.
When a husband or wife dies they
might sometimes say that "cat and
dog existence has terminated" but the
lire Of the couple Is described as one
long, sweet dream.
Then again there are many domes-
tic scandals that come to the ears of
the newspapers, and many personal
difficulties, and many rumors affect
ing the integrity of various citizens
that are probably true that never find
their way into print because 1t will not;
do always to tell the truth. Serious
happenings are sometimes minimimiz-
ed and unimportant events magnified
when the newspapers know perfectly
we'll their news value, but they can
not always tell the truth. 1t is not
the truth that Is wanted. The newspa-.
pers sometimes cannot afford to tell
the truth and the people cannot af-
afford to have 1t told about them,
and the truth Is, therefore, omit
ted. Some politicians say the news
papers will not tell the truth about
them. For this they ought to be pro-
foundly thankful for If the truth were
told about them, some Of them would
find their political careers at: an end
and regulations seriously impaired.
And all this consideration and sup
preston Of truth when 1t Is damaging,
Is rarely appreciated and the cry is for
newspapers that will tell the truth. 1t
would take but one issue Of such a
newspaper to raise cry louder tnan
before to handle the truth cautiously
and in small quantities and well gloss
ed over. Knock down and drag out
fights, damage suits, broken noses,
hearts and fortunes would be the fea-
lures Of the day, and the truthful news
paper would be suppressed, II 1t took
a constitutional convention to accom-
plish 1t. The newspapers make their
living by printing what their readers
want to read and that Is not always the
truth.-Spartanburg Evening Journal.