The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-01-11
THE SENSATIONAL" PRESS.

Probably not since newspapers were published have enterptising publishers been free from the accusation of ''sensa- tlonaism," and il may be added that this word "sensationalsm" has as minv def initions as there are standpoints from which the press is criticised.
 There was time not so long ago when 1t was the custom for newspapers to con- fine themselves to publishing just such m ,tters IS came 10 the office. In those days the papers that employed reporters to search for he news wsr. regarded as med de,o and "sens itional."
 A generation ago the New York Herald WIS the speci il mark Of those who decrrd ",ens tonalism." Its enterprise in creat- Ing news aroused the j-aou<y Of the sIrepier members of the New York press. The sending of explorers to Africa and the north pole and other undert kings Of I like nature were new dep irtureS in the news ptper circles, and the increase in crcula- tion that followed created q jealousy with it's contemporaries.
 Al the present tune the remarks of "sen> satlon l" how Ter are directed to the dres chosen rv publishers for their papers. The coored cover, fl ring headlines, the use oi great qua, tltles f display type and the numrtoJS illustrations that arc admittedly often gr,trsque and extrdvaIant wh'c chardclerlze w. H. Hearst's publications furnish theme tor those who are wont to prate in d1uble-eaded editorials anC long drawn out sermons about a degeher- ate press.
 There is another q iss of critics who con- fine themselves more generally to tn character of the natter published as news. These are usually of the 'goodv goodv" kind who recognize in Rev. Charles M. Sheldon of Topeka, Kansas, their princi- nal Axnansnt They npje.b iO riIc rrpUTts ot the police court proceedings, the publi- cation of detols of crime, social scandals. race track news, prize fights and othe [ sporting events. In the days when Chas. A. Dana's New York Sun had the largest circulation of any American newspaper, he was the special eve sore to this class of critics. Dana was soundlv berated from the pulpit and religious press from ocean to ocean for two decades. and until other publications profiting by the Suns exper- fence, adopted it as standard to be fol-
 lowed. Then they became more general in their attacks. During all those years Dana followed the rule that whatever God Almighty permitted to happen, that wss news. was neither too good or too bad to appear in the Sun.
 But during all this time the so-called sensational" paper of the hour became the popular one, and its publisher. ,ch in turn, saw his ideas taken up by others. All daily newspapers now have a corps of reporters and news correspondents to gather the news of the world, There Is not daily newspaper in the land that does not seek to create news, according to Its ability and talents after the fashion of the once abused New York Herald The colored covers and illustrations are being generally adopted, and every newspapr worthy tn. name, seeks to publish all the news. And the success ot paper and its force and influence in community de- pend largely upon its success In maln- taIning the standard set by these ''sensa- tiona' papers of the .ast.
 It will not be denied that many papers frequently get beyond the bounds of decent journalism, but envy rather than a regard for decency inspires fully % per cent. of the attacks made in the name of purity against the modern journal.