The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-16
SOME fRAJtRNAl ADVICE.

The Inter Mountain has received from
a friend in a prosperous Montana city
who is thinking of purchasing news
paper already established, a request for
a few rules to hang up in his office for
the guidance of his reporters and other
employees. "These rules" he suggests.
Should as far as possible be based on
the Inter Mountains own experience"
The compliment implied by the letter is
fully appreciated whether deserved or
not. Replying, we should advise our
friend to print and hang up the follow
ing with such additions as his own OBJ
servations may suggest:
l. Use plain, simple English at all
times, avoiding Latinisms, long. involved
sentences and verbal displays which
the average reader may not readily
grasp Make the news conspicuous. not
your own erudition.
2. Avoid running sentences together
by the proposition land" Short, crisp
direct statements in natural sequence,
without redundancy or strairing after
effect, mark the work of the expert re-
porter.
8. Give the reader credit for intelli-
gence, discernment, power of inference.
Avoid minute details except in matters
Of extra Importance.
4. Avoid slang and street gamin
quotations. "Onto his job" up to
snuff" 1.-The long green,' up against
it, "Tumbled to the racket" and such
expressions are on occasion allowable in
sporting news. but never in the other
~
and children are expected to read. AS
rule the use of slang indicates poverty
of language.
5. Offensive particulars of medical in
vestgations and certain crimes are bet
briefly.
6. All articles of doubtful propriety
in criticism of any man or institution or
event should be made the subject of con-
sultation with the city editor before they
be written, thus saving time and possibly
trouble.
Z. Treat all men alike. Give every
man who goes or comes personal"
If we had to trust to rich men for Hv-
ing we should soon go out of business
The common people are the best people.
Their interests are ours. They cannot
be safely ignored. They cannot be mis-
| led. They can tell the whaa. from the
| chaff and are able to recognize the truth
even if printed in democratic sheet.
| Give them a clean, bright, honest news
| paper and we shall prosper; give them
| badly written, slangy, sour, cross, yell
| low, partial class organ and we shall
fail. O. =
8. When you turn in copy it becomes
the property of the Office to be amplifie6,
condensed or destroyed. When you
succeed to the proprietorship of a paper
and desire to manage your own business,
| or put into effect your own literary
| notions, the wisdom of this rule will be
more apparent. Besides the printing or
killing of an article more or less is not
worth feeling bad about so long as you
get your salary and are on the road to
promotion. Be philosophical. Do your
work cheerfully. If you have the spark
In you you will not long remain undis-
| covered.
Courtesy and good temper should
characterize every article intended for
publication. All slurs. unpleasant per-
sonalities, ill-tempered criticisms, etc,
are ruinous to any newspapers. reputa-
ton and influence. This rule should ap-
ply to the personal relations of the lit
erary force.
Fairness and justice are essential
under all circumstances. The local page
or the -- is at peace with the
community. Colored reports of loca
events or court proceedings should be
studiously guarded against. Print bott
sides and give authority for each. d
not commit the paper to either
Speak we'll OF men or leave them alone
Avoid fulsome flattery, but give generous
credit for good deeds.
Men seeking employment in thi.
office and feeling capable of bright ant
sustained work are invited to show wha
they can do before expecting to 20 OF
. the pay roll. In the newspaper worlt
the fittest only survive. Results are bet
ter than promises in every human oc
cupation.
Keep one finger on the public pulse
one eye on the map Of coming dahl,
: events. one warm place in your hear
, for human sympathies. Don't mix YOU,
, lenses nor your drinks. Avoid separat
Ing the infinitive with an adyerb. b,
loyal to the Office, fear the Lord AMI
look out for scoops. Do these and you
: salaries shall keep pace with the -
circulation.
The Kalispell officer who shot the China
man Is going to be tried for manslauRhter
) That Is as It should be. A Lu,naman ma,
l kNa NJ nv