The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-01-16
AsrORIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
PRESENT.DAY NEWSPAPERS

The men and women who are engaged IN the pro
fession of writing may properly be divided into sew
eral classes There are two principal classes-news
paper writers and journalists Each has for tn
other the most supreme contempt-the newspaper
writer's because the journalists occupy what might b
called an ilegtimate field, and the journalists be
cause the newspaper writers do more effective work
1t is not surprising to find as consequence, frequent
articles from the pens of journalists deprecatng the
work of newspaper writers and newspapers but the
extreme to which Mr. Horace White journalist, goes
in the current number of the North American Re
view would scarcely have been expected, even in the
hopeless case of journalist Basing his opinion on
the proposition of supply and demand Mr.. White re-
lieyes himself as follows:
'If the supply of good editorial writers has fallen
off it must be because the demand has fallen off and
this, believe, is the truth. mean the kind of de-
mand that calls into being an effective and regular
supply. No self-respecting youth will prepare him
self for future connection with yellow journal
and, in general, the number who will prepare for
newspaper work will be governed by the aspect in
which journalism daily presents itself to their eyes
What the most prominent features of journalism
today9 They are pictures, headlines color scheme,
job type, sport, gossip Is it any wonder that the
bright young men, those who feel growing pains for
high achievement and growing hope for distinction
therein, are ppelled from profession which pre-
sents itself to them in such harlequin garb! But
that is not ALL In order that there may be steady
supply of good editorial writer's there must be both
congenial field for them to work in and sufficient
fund to pay them. But the money formerly destined
for the editorial writer now goes to the cartoonst
the artist reporter and the color schemer Does any
one ask why good editorial writers are so scarce now
adays' May they not be employed as waters at no
tells and restaurants finding the occupation there
more congenial and the pay more regular?'
What hopeless rot!
The papers of the United States are better edited
today then before in the history of the nation
and will continue to advance along this line with
every uccdue 1uey nave grown more complete year
in and year out and their great and lasting good in
creases steadily. Why should not pictures headlines
color scheme, job type, sport and gossip be the most
important features of the present-day newspaper
For the reason that some rattle-braned journalist
might not agree with the general plan of the modern
newspaper Newspapers, like all other public utili-
ties, are adopted to the requirements of the peope
The editors pass upon the characr Of the happenings
of the day and give prominence to the most imnort.
ant They print pictures so that theor readers NAV
be brought into contact with scenes that would otbor
wise be but fancful dreams They resort to the use
Of color that their pages may be moro attractive
and that there may be more reading on the mart of
the people. They devote much space to snort and
gossip because the people evnce more interest in scb
matters than formerly. Their patrons eagerly road
their wellwritten, concise accounts Of the
of the world and with quite as much reoplarit,
pass up the tresome journalistc-school discourses
appearing in the out-ofdate magazines
Tens of thousands Of people assemble TO 500 ovor,,
big baseball or football game that is PLAYED IN the
United States tens Of thousands gather IN watch
the horses. Would any one with thmbIoful of
brains undertake to say that such occprrencas ora
not matters Of public momentY Can it trufbfulI,,
be said that newspapers are filling forbidden fo,a
by printing the pictures Of our national celebr;to.