Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-26
WH|TELAW REID.
First Lecture Of Isaac Bromley
Course at Yale.
"The Newspapers As They Arc"
Mr.. Reds Subject.
800 Students Attend and Great Interest ar d
Appreciation Shown.

lectures on Journalism Jitcraturc
and Public Affairs" before 500 students
of Yale University. Mr.. Reds subject
was The Newspapers as They Are"
He was introduced by Prof. Park
Fisher. in the absence of President
Hadley. and spoke for an hour and a
half, discussing frankly the phases Of
modern journalism and tracing as wen
the development of newspaper work in
some of its more important features.
The lecture was distinctly popular in
tone and was received with great an
probation.
Mr.. Reid spoke in part as follows:
The old saying Let me make the
songs of Il people and care not who
makes the laws is out of date nov. :"
the lecturer said, ''as completely as the
Ptolomeys. Where is the song writer,
today compared with the reporter?
Who is there who does not read the
newspapers? What song. what speech
what scripture. what other uttcrances
of any kind unfailing gets attention
every day. Some adequate comprehen-
sion of this tremendous fact in modern
life was no doubt the motive for found
ing these lectures intended to deal with
newspapers and the questions they
raise.
The founder Of the course. Mr.. Hrom-
ley. was referred to as follows:
II shall not detain you to speak Of
the rare quality of his writing. Of his
inimitable wit or Of his lovable person.
alitv. But there is one incident in his
servic" which perhaps may BE- recalled
as an appropriate Introduction to the
lectures lie wished delivered to Yale
men about newspaper work. He had
been so enthusiastic as any of us in
our campaign for Hayes against Til
den for the Presidency. But on the
day after the election ne made NJ his
mind that we had probably lost. When
the dispute over the result broke out.
he became more and more disturbed
at the steady support given by our cdi-
tOrial page to the Republican claim Of
General Hayes election. A first h
merely avoided writing Oh the subject.
Then he began stating his doubts to
his associates and even Offering them
to mo in editorial form. Next
he thought it his duty to address
me Il long and coGcnt letter
Of remonstranco against my Cours.'
and. finally he came to me with the
statement that he felt as if he must
give up all connection with a journal
whose attitude in such a national crisis
he could not conscientiouSlY approve
1t was not till | was able to tell him Of
the facts which We're aftcrWaId elab-
orately developed in our translation Of
the cipher dispatches from Creamery
park that his purpose was changed.
and h was content TO resume his usual
routine.
In these days when a newspaper Of
flee is sometimes sold with its staff like
4 livery stable with its stock: when
some editorial writer's pass freely from
administration to an opposition paper
or from protective tariff to a free
trade one, without the dropping Of an
eyelid or sign that they consider the
change more important than that OF
the brcklayer who passes from WORK
on a church to work on Il dance hall ~
liquor saloon, il is good to remember
editors of another kind. and to begin
these lectures by recalling this charac-
tcristic incident in the life of the mar
who founded them. He would nave
been ashamed of the vocation he fol
lowed if he thought its successful pur-
suit involved the editorial writer II
one doctrine he did not be
Iieve or making one statement he dc
not think true. Far better more man
Iy more dignified. more self respecting
and respected, to ne at once the hod
CARRIE on the liquor saloon He al least
pratt ices no sham and tells no lies. ]
knew well enough how prevalent nov
is n contrary view of editorial ethics.
in the large cities and among
at least in some of the
most popular and widely read news
papers.
Yes. that is exactly the opposite OF
what I used to write on the Clarion !
have heard more than one bright man
saw but what would you have? J
must furnish what | can find marke,
for.
Gentlemen and scholars of Yale. ]
feel sure that like DR.. Johnson in
similar case. you will not recognize
that necessity. The man might at
least have dug potatoes and remained
rcSpectdblc. IncGe is no law totlpcli-
ing YOU to write editorials you do not
believe. no order of court that may be
into permitting you to at
tempt making the worse appear the
better reason and there is still in the
mind of every honest educated man
wholesome loathing for that leprous
form of modern degeneracy the intel
lcctual prostitute
The lecturer then spoke of the in
creased tendency to newspaper work
among collegeians and the cIrCum-
stances that led to it, but enumerated
certain draw backs that ought to be
He next referred to the
tendency to large papers, longer re-
porte. news about more kinds of
things. more sensational treatment,
pictures cheaper prices. different read
ing habits of the public, etc. and the
causes that had brought all this about
He spoke of having himself bought
naper all the way from - cents
nornd down to one and "A half cents. of
in printing presses and
IF I'll, practical abolition of type set
Continued on page %