The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-25
NEW IDEAS OF NEWS.
Conservation Demanded by a More
 Refined Public

New Orleans Times Democrat.
 The new idea of news Is probably one of the most interesting phases of modern journalism. and it is at the same time one of the most refreshing. Newspapers of the higher kind have been showing tendency to minimize the importance and conSpicuity of the sensationally vulgar happenings of the day. Papers of the purely yellow type hold to the old idea and feast upon vulgar occurrences. Shock ing crimes, depravity in some new form. some peculiarly atrocious murder, some scandal which carries family honor down in ruin and utter disgrace. something that is spicy and will command the atten- ton of the yellow papers, and events of this character are spread and played up until there is no danger Of the pub lie overlooking the thing. No effort .s made to tone these happenings down, and to refine them by closing out the sicken- ing. vulgar features. On the other hand the uglier sides are fully displayed with perhaps just little coloring for fear that the thing is not revolting enough to shock the public as the public should be shocked.
 But this yellow" tendency may not be charged up to the whole American press. The newspapers which really Eplay part in the coUntry,s history, the newspapers which are really factors in the unfolding and development of the times. are the conservative. sober-policied papers. the kind of newspapers which have reduc a the news value of vulgar and sensational happenings. Family honor has become thing of too much sacredness to be tri- fled with and soiled by irresponsible scrio- bleTs. While newspapers of the conserv- ative type reserve the right to criticise men and measures at all times, and to rIiticise with violence and passion. the criticisms are vet within the lines Of reason They are logical, from the edi- tors way of looking at the particular thing. But the new idea of news is some thing separate and apart from the edi- tcrial utter1nceS, although the same gen.. eral change has taken place in both the news and editorial departments of news papers. Things of novel kind out or the way happenings. little oddities here and there things and happenings Of this kind are now looked upon with great la Vor hy the men who are really proSres- slve and who are up-to-date in 1ournal- ism. -
 The tendency of specalism has been as marked in newspaper work as Tn otn- CT professions. The story is the thing Ten years ago but few men in the pro fession would speak of stories except Tn referring to tales of hction, pure anu simple Now everything Is a story II was the beginning Of the new idea or news. The story idea marked thd de- narture from the old. vulgar and bru- talking way of handling the happen ings of the day. Blood and bloody bones and cutting and slashing and all the more horrible things which make up current criminal history. are not things to be dealt with elaborately now Purer stories are preferred. If there is bit of romance about it. something that will appeal to mans finer sense so much the better If there is somewhat of com edy in the tale. enough of humor to stir the dimples and make the reader smile, 1t becomes a factor in life. It does good. Stories of this kind are highly valued, There may be a certain something in the story wrich will excite the fancy and bring into play the imaginative faculties. It may be something which appeals to the esthetic side of mans nature. II may be d poetic suggestion. The basic idea may be done of great pathos. 1t may run the gamut of human passion. But the thmg demanded by the new school is that 1t shall stand out in contrast with the dull, ordinary, routine things of the day. 1t might he the description of dog fight. Many men would read story Of this rlnd in preference to one which dealt with an ordinary fight between men, un-
 less the men were prominent.
 The routine of the day is necessary. Court records and things of that sort must he ropied Meetings must he re- ported. The little things must be looked after. They must be spread out in the columns and over the pages. But the