The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-11-15

Dc. - % 90 o - 90 o % 90 Go Q %.
the local correspondent ordinarily
seizes upon it with avidity and makes
| the most of his opportunity to increase
4 his monthly check for CORRESPONDENCE
furnished. since an important part of
| the income of the newspaper editor in
| a small town often is represented by
payments received from newspapers in
| large cities for news telegraphed to
them, it is easy to understand why the
leverage correspondents enthusiasm
has to be restrained rather than arous-
led when piece of news comes his way.
Intelligent direction is likely to be his
| greatest need, siTce his sense of per-
spective often is gaulty. Left to him
self, he may Telegraph a long report of
an unimportant 1scal convention or a
brief and hysterisal story of great
disas ter, his adjectives being abundant
in either case and his facts scantv.
Yet there are many local correspond
ents who have both enterprise and
sound judgment.
The antithesis of the satisfactory
press representative is the correspond
ent who fabricates startling yarns
about big hailstones, wild men seen in
the woods, infants carried away. by
eagles, showers of frogs, and similar
wonders. Thoughtless editors may per-
nit him to send in drivel of this sort
for a time, but his career will be brief
| at best A few years ago the borders
| of Indian Territory were infested by
correspondents who invented astonish-
ing stories of happenings among the
| civilized tribes. A criminal orosecu-
| ton begun some months ago by a
philadelphia newspaper against a west
ern correspondent who had tricked it
into publishing an injurious falsehood
has served the valuable purpose of
making such offenders more wary than
formerly they were.
| In the midst of the steady and con-
| tinuous downpour of news sits the
managing editor, endeavoring to de-
velop more news. He wants the most
interesting stories that can be secured
at any cost of money and labor and he
wants them in the greatest possible
abundance and variety. He wants
exclusive news in such profusion that
his newspaper shall win distinction
above all it's rivals. He wants better
reports of everything than his compet-
itors get of anything. Furthermore,
he desires to dispense with all unneces-
sary words in setting forth in the
1 most attractive manner the facts that
he deems worthy of publication. He
is an artist in news and the extent
of his artistic merit is measured by his
success in instructing and entertain
ing the readers of his newspaper He
sends out staff correspondents TO write
up special matters, because he has
confidence in their ability to grasp the
important featuresN and picture them
forth in a pleasing way If he has
tae true artistic sense. his flesh crawls
at slovenly English, involved sentences
and slang which is not quoted direct
from the mouth of some person whose
characteristics and mannerisms are
being sketched to give local color to
story.
In the department of foreign news.
two important developments have
come recently. The completion of the
Pacific cable from San Francisco to
Manila and Hongkong has made it pos
sible to get news of the far East direct
instead of through Europe. BY reduc-
ing the cost of receiving such informa-
ton when obtained at first hand, the
new cable reduces the inducement to
accept as sufficient for American needs
news picked up in London that has
been modified and given special inter
probation by English correspondents
for English readers. The other de-
velopment is the esta blishment in
European capitals of news bureaus
manned by American correspondents
under the control of the Associated
Press. The Reuter- news agency.
which was established by its far-see-
ing founder half a century ago, its
later growth keeping pace with the lay
ing of land telegraphs and ocean ca
bles, no longer is the principal source
from which Americans draw their news
of foreign happenings.
For many years the London Times
has been potent influence in forming
public opinion. not only in Great Brit
ain, but in the United States. in regard
to foreign affairs. What was done in
st. Petersburg or Vienna or Rome or
Paris or Constantinople or Picking was
reported and interpreted for English
readers the world over by Times cor
respondents, who often were more pow
erful than the ambassadors of great
nations, since they habitually made
up the publics mind for it. Without
seeking 10 detract in the slightest de-
gree from the well-earned reputation
for ability and truthfulness possessed
by that newspapers splendid corps OF
correspondents. one still may insist
that American readers should take into
account the natural British prejudices
and point of view of those correspond
ents when weighing their conclusions
Other reliable and enterprising news
papers of London also have compe-
tent correspondents in foreign CAPT
tails. and their reports on men and
policies have an effect upon the minds
of American readers when cabled to