The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-11-02
The DAILY NEWS
PAPER PROBLEM.

Marie Smell. president Of Albertus
Magnus college. appears 60 have a
clear idea Of the legitimate functions
Of the daily newspaper In the latest
number of the Conservative Review
he discussed THE Daily Newspaper
Problem" touching Is various phases
and activities with the skill aud 'ure-
ness Of one who has famillarized him
self with his subject
A decade or so ago, he says, al
most all eity-bred Americans would
have agreed that the daily newspaper
is one Of the surest indications and
most effective instruments Of the
highest degree Of civilization and en-
Iightenment. But of late ibis con
yiction has become less pronounced
and has even begun to disappear The
advent Of che so-called yellow journ
alism which IS simply the outcome
OF gradual process Of degeneracy,
has aroused widespread indigna-
don among the most thoughtful and
high princlpled classes. and ia various
quarters vigorous protests have been
entered against present newspaper
method in the i,ame Of culture, taste,
morality and learning"
The problem which President Smell
believes we now have to face is the
determination Of the real utility Of
daily journalism. its proper function
in modern society aud tho principles
which should govern il to realize us
highest possible usefulness, while
eliminating or reducing TO a minimum
the evils which seem 70 be So gen
orally incident to it.
After preeenting the various criti-
cisms that are usually made as to the
practical scientific and educational
WAYS IN which legitimate news may
be OF value. President Smell says;
eBut. however successfully the di-
rect educational value Of news may
be impugned. it can scarcely be de-
MED that the newspaper performs an
indirect service to education, of very
great Importance, by it's collection
and indication of materials for special
students IN every department OF
learning. New discoveries and inven-
ttoas. for example, are heralded as
soon as made. aad even while they
are IN the merely hypothetical and in
choate stage; and valuable sugges-
tions ase thus furnished 10 other
workers in the same field, who would
not have learned Of them through the
special organs of their respective
aciencas and arts until they had been
duly completed and authenticated
aHstorical data are recorded IN
prodigious quantities as result OF
newspaper rivalry, for the collection
Of which there would otherwise have
been no sufficient motive o. machin'
ery. But K IS especially by It's micro
scopic picture OF contemporary hu.
man life that It has become an indis
pan-able auxiliary of science. The
daily newspaper of the present type
IS sort of social, economic and
psychological museum, and. indeed
almost deserves the title of a sociolo
.gical laboratory"
From this critical examination oi
the primary function Of the daily
newspaper 1--WE gather than its utih
ty consists essentially in the great
development which il give" to what
NAV be called the collective consci
business. both Of It's locality the ma
tion and mankind at large
The general outcry against yello"
journalists has been occasioned By
the gross and deliberate ofenses
AGAINST truth. taste and decency OF
which the journals Of this stamp
have been guilty.
eeThe taste which is catered to D,
lengthy detailed and deliberately illus
trated descriptions Of murders. sui
cides and all sorts OF blood ourdlins
catastrophies is the same in essence
ANlQ tNNI hlplN hiAinAhAta''A ga A'-
depravity) as that which roveled in
the gladiator and wild beast contests
of the ancient Roman amphltheaters
and which In some countries keeps
alive the bull fight, in its most hid
eous forms. Lavish descriptions OF
unsavory divorce suits aud prurienr
scandals resulting from real or aleg
led onensea against sexual Tmity ap
zeal to the same taste as that whicl
is catered to by che puryeyors Of III,
literature which is professedly OBJ
scene.
IT Is certain that the newspaper de
scriptions Of these and other orime'
breed an immense number o. similar
offenses."
How. then. should the newspape