Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-05

cial reference to the plan to be pur-
sued in newspaper work by the Rev.
Sheldon, Of Topeka, and his remarks
were listened to with interest by those
present.
After tracing the history of getting
news by the heralds in Esther, the
reverend gentleman remarked that:
"Out of the nature and necessity Of
things grew the newspaper. We read
of the Emperor Dionyseus sitting on
his throne and through brazen pipes
hearing all the gossip of his palace.
So to-day man can sit at an electric
focus and hear all the news from the
uttermost parts of the earth. The
newspaper is an instrument for good
or for evil. The press has great re-
sponsibility upon it, and newspaper
people cannot escape responsibility by
saying that the press is but a color
less reflection of public sentiment.
The newspaper is an educator, rather
than servant, of the people. Rev. c..
M. Sheldon, of Topeka, will edit the
Topeka Capital for six days, thus show
ing to the world his ideal of Chris
tian newspaper. He will probably re-
veal to the world some things that are
possible that heretofore have been con-
sidered impossible. Now, then, what
kind of a newspaper should people
read? First, it's paper that will be
abreast of the times; one that will pub
lish local news.
According to my idea, local news
will have to do with three kinds of in
terests: business, intellectual and
moral. And anything that does not
come under these heads has no place
in good daily newspaper. Events
happening abroad will also occupy a
large space in the daily newspaper
that is abreast of the times. The
newspaper is a great friend to the
public and ought to be SO regarded.
The newspaper of to-day is capable of
improvement in this respect, and the
public has much to do with this i'm
provement. Now, then, we will not
improve the paper by unjust and I'M
kind criticism. The paper we should
read ought to be the paper that will
tell the truth. Black lies, white lies,
mealy- mouthed pretense, under-state-
ment and over-statement and polite
Misrepresentation have no place in a
good newspaper. Tell the truth, and
the public will quit saying you saw it
in a newspaper and it is not SO. Tell
the truth, even though the sinner is
condemned by it. The truth hurts the
sinner, but never hurts the righteous.
The great trouble with many papers
is that they are for sale, and | believe
there are some that are purchaseable.
Inese papers have no right to flaunt
themselves upon the public as public
benefactors. The golden rule has a
practical application here.
1.-THE newspaper we should read will
be clean and wholesome"
He then referred to Charles Dickens
having criticised the American paper
for their shameless characters, saying
that the American people were very
indignant. 1.-The hit bird futters.
I believe, however, that the newspapers
are cleaner than they used to be. The
character of editorials, advertisements
and correspondence is still capable Of
improvement. Newspapers should be
free from scandal. A paper free from
malicious attacks upon another paper,
from the influence of the demagogue,
clean and wholesome, a champion of
municipal, State and national reform,
is possible for the people of this coun-
try.
served, secular and religious, hence
there must be two classes of newspa-
pers, secular and religious. The secu-
lar paper will deal with secular things,
but while it deals with secular things,
it must have moral standard, in or
der that it might have the recognition
and patronage of moral and religious
people. Secular interests are best
served by the principle of morality.
The religious paper should be read by
every Christian. His Christian growth
depends in large measure upon his
being in touch with religious inter
ests in the present age. He should
know the progress of Christ's kingdom
in the earth and the religious people
with whom he is identified. In word,
he should be in the procession Of re-
ligious events. Such papers as l have
outlined should receive the patronage
of Christian people, and such paper
will be very helpful to them and prove
itself to be their true friend"
"THE CRUCIFIXI0N"