The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-02
THE HIGHER JOURNALISM"

'THE HIGHER JOURNALISM"
In an editorial under the headline quoted
the Galveston News says: Formerly the
trouble makers and ambitious politicians
Of certain portions of the country actually
pitted editor against editor. after the man
ner Of merciless sports, who fight cocks
for their own pleasure and profit. NOBODY
viii find it difficult to recall the name of
some devoted journalist who has long
since gone to the death over his ticket and
his man. In some instances the wary
fellow over whom the killing occurred is
now in Congress or in some other safe
and pleasant place. 1t is gratifying to-
observe that the old habit of fury apa
folly has been abandoned by a large ma,
jority of the editors and publishers of the
present day
The representative journalism OF the
present is pitched upon a higher plane
than ever before. It has outgrown The
old feudal idea that intense partsanship
and bitter fights for individuals were the
soul OF existence for the newspaper. The
editor no longer keeps gun" on his
desk in anticipation of the appearance
person whose political aspirations have
been opposed; ond heated controversies
between newspapers published in the same
town are less frequent and less vtriolic
than they used to be. There are. Of
course, designing persons in politics who
would be glad to induce editors to fight
their battles for them, and perchance get
shot for the ardor of their partisanship,
and there are other persons with an abb
normal liking for sensational reading who
enjoy a wOrdy war between newspapers;
but these persons are so few in number
and so wanting in real value to the news
papers that they have ceased to be re-
garded as of any importance The vast
majority of the people do not care a rap
for the differences of opinion on academI,
questions held by two or more editors. nor
do they regard the animosities which con-
troversies engender except to laugh at
them. What they do appreciate are fear
less and conscientious. expressions of opin-
| ion on public matters and painstaking ef-
forts to spread the news of the day be-
fore subscribers in such manner that ii
may be readily digested.
The purpose of the higher journalism of
modern days. therefore. is to give pub
! licity to legitimate news and TO discuss
candidly and fairly matters of public in
terest. The day is past when men could
take the journalist by the nose and lead
him; he now devotes himself to measures
and principles and public interests. and
requires men to measure up to them.
journalism is less personal now than in
former years. The influential newspaper
Of the day is not so much a reflection
of the personality of one man. but a COM
blnation of the brains and Intelligence of
number of men, centered upon the deter
mination to accomplish the greatest good
Tor the municipality, the state and the
nation. The newspaper is no longer tied
to string which is held by the politi-
clan, nor does the editor of the period bend
ms back to turn the grindstone for the
self-seeker with an ak 20 be sharpened
The press Is more of an educating force
than the pulpit, and more of construc-
tive force than the promoter. 1t stands
for the Independence of the citizen. the
upbuilding of the community, and the per-
petuity of law and order