The Republican journal., 1902-03-20
JOURNALISM,
"A thoughtful Address on the Functions of
the Pre- IS by Rev. j. E. C. Sawyer.
North Adams MaSs Euon;x. ILL

!
the Pre- IS by Rev. j. E. C. Sawyer,
North Adams, Mass, Evening Herald.
Newspaper men have seldom had the
pleasure OF listening to more intelG-
glble lecture on journalism and the
functions of the newspaper than that
given last evening before the Mems
club OF the Baptist church by Rev. !.
E. c. Sawyer Of Williamstown. They
are so accustomed to hearing and read
Ing denunciations of the press. the
measure OF which is always squared by
the lack OF knowledge Of those who
comment upon it, that an address show
ing thought and familiarity and quail
hcatlon is always refreshing and in
spring.
The speaker prefaced his talk by
few remarks on church attendance, in
which he said that in a given locality
IN the west he only knew of two where
the males exceed the women at services
and one OF these was the penitentiary
ana the other was where the pastor was
OF unique qualifications. He then be-
gan by reading from country news
paper the short items of news SO often
considered Trivial, and unworthy place
III print, yet he said they served a pur
pose and could not be we'll avoided
in local fields. For the chief function
of journalism is the dissemination of
news and without it there is little rea-
son for the newspaper Of to-day. Here
he rapidly sketched the history of early
Journalism, beginning in England in 1903
followed by the attempt to establish a
paper III America in 1890 and the estab-
llshment OF weekly in 1903 which lived
| until the evacuation OF the British
from Boston in 1776 Then came James
F'ranklln'S paper, which was for time
edited by his brother, Ben Franklin.
This was followed by the PENNSYLVANIA
| Gazette, a really good newspaper for
that period. Thence the speaker went
on to speak of the complex and com
| prehenslve organizations of the great
| journals OF to-day. AS showing how i'm
possible it is for a newspaper to thrive
| without giving all the news, reference
was made to the establishment of the
New York World which had behind it
certain worthy individuals who would
| not tolerate much that was worldly.
This, as might be supposed, was not fol
| lowed by business success. nor were the
succeeding efforts made byManton Mar
bic and others to conduct it on high lit
| erary principles. 1t was only when the
| present management took hold of it to
make 1t a newspaper, and perhaps one
not above criticism. that it began to be
really prosperous. The New York Her
aid was started, as outlined by the pro-
prletorr, without any principles what
ever, but to give the news, and it is
marveilously successful in this field. 1t
originated the idea of interviews, and
its marine news has always been the
most complete of any daily paper in the
world. AS showing the various kinds
OF what may be very properly termed
news, the speaker pointed out the fact
that one paper published the entire re-
vlsed version of the New Testament at
the time OF its completion, not from a
rehglous motive but simply from it's
news value. He emphasized the fact
that the purpose of Journalism was pri-
marly the publication of the news. As
to yellow journals he said they existed,
but they stood only for what they were
Woftn, and as an evidence of their lack
OF influence IN an intelligent community
he sad that there was no sale for them
IN " llllamstoWn. y high tribute was
PAD to reporters and newspaper CORE
spoldents, ana he said that in many
| cases they were splendid heroes. Re
tlmes almost 1mpertinent, but as a rule
| they We're judicious, and if they should
| spread before the readers of North Ad-
ans what they knew but retrained
from publishing it would foment a good
deal OF trouble. The newspaper should
| be read IN the family circle. Rev. Mr..
sawyer then proceeded to give some of
the stumbling blocks and perplexities
OF the editor, and he concluded that it
| was extremely difficult to edit a paper
III a small city and maintain purity of
! principles. tie said that the most of our
eoitorS were a high minded class of
men. concerning the editorials of our
pest papers, he said they are the purest
ana most lucid English of the times and
a splendid school for the literary stu
dent. He instanced the New York Sun
as peculiarly conspicuous example of
concise and graceful English in it's edi
torlal columns during all the wears that
Charles a. Dana edited it.
Inc lecture was listened to with the
closest attention and interest. No at
tempt has been made here to reproduce
IL. These are but the impressions of it
maze upon newspaper man.
"Manufacturins" Coffee.
spoon, you say, is a manufactured ar
tlcie Bat cotfee,-well it just grows :,
Coftee is really a manufactured article.
Nature quits at the tree, From the tree
10 the cup, coffee passes through great
variety OF processes. The market value of
coffee depends upon what man does. after
nature has finished. 1t is in this respect
That the famous Chase & Sanhorn coffee
mas made its great reputation. 1t is as
much piece of expert work as a Worth
aress or stelnway piano. Try this coffee