The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-09-19
LESSON SHOULD BE NEEDED


The line was thrown and the unsus-
pecting Daily News nibbed bat once too
often. 1t has differed news from the
Telegram for months. The editorial
management of this paper has been CON
WINGED OF that fact for some time and
Others have told US 80. Business men
who have business relations with the
Telegram and who make certain requests
are sometimes told that they better see
Inc News about it too. their answer IS,
the editor of that paper tells them that
news items in his paper depend upon
what is in the Telegram. \ notable in
stance of this occurred short time ago,
when the Telegram had an article about
certain foreign bankers. One of them
declared that the editor of the News
told him he would have had nothing
about the incident, if the Telegram had
not had it. The only way that the
News could have found out what the
Telegram had on that occasion was to
get hold of the paper as soon as posi-
BILE after it was issued and before the
News is made up and published.
From all appearances there is not a
day that the News does not use IT.
scissors on the Telegram, and, if i;
fails, it saves the paper and uses them
the next day. This is conclusively
shown by the s.Swenekafcw7 incident SC
completely exposed. Not being able tc
clip the article and put it in the SAINT
days News. the News editor saves il
for the next day, boils it down some
and makes a change or two, so as to al
lay suspicion, and then comes out braz'
enly with it, as if it were his own and
he knew it to be so.
The paper which wilfully and con
stantIy pliers its news from local con.
temporary is unworthy of the name OF
newspaper. 1t is an acknowledgement
that it is not self-reliant, that it l. un.
capable, that it lacks independence and
is a miserable failure so far as a news
medium.
1t is exasperating that the journalistic
profession should be inflicted with pa
pers of no more principle, no more en-.
terprise, no more pride, no more self
respect, no more capability, than tc
gather what news it has by stealing it.
Professionally, it is repusive to make
this exposure, but the profession should
be protected and sometimes extraordi
nary means are necessary to attain that
end.
The Telegram, from professions
standpoint, and for the benefit of the
CITY would much rather see the self
convicted pilfering paper more indePend.
ent, more enterprising, more reliable anc
more up.to-date, and sincerely hopes
that this incident win do it good and
make it honest.
So far as the reading public is con.
cerned, it must learn from this incident
that practically all items of local inter.
est, which appear in the News, are but
n rehash of what has been previously
published in the Telegram. Readers OF
both papers will further observe that in
the course of a week about ten times
as many articles appear in the Telegram
a. in the News This being true, and
the Telegram being usually several hours
ahead of its alleged contemporary and
Outlines day ahead of it. it is but
natural that the Telegram should com.
mnnd respect and be read by all. In adj
dition to this the business man finds that
conditions of this sort made so by the
Telegram are best for him and he shows
his appreciation by placing his patron
age where he finds enterprise and push
in the newspaper business.
The exposure is rather severe, but i
will doubtlss do the News good and bt
a benefit to the profession and the com
munity, and later on the News may be
in position to feel grateful for this kind.
ness,