The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-07-02

aspects of things, upon the margin Of
profit. upon the reduction of expenses,
upon buying white paper and selling Il
printed, and that is business. But a
man who has the advantage, honor and
pleasure of addressing the public every
day as writer or thinker is pro-
fessional man. So, of course. Is he who
directs these writer's and reporters,
who tells them what to say and how to
say 1t, who shows them how to think,
who inspires them, though he may
never write line himself, and decides
what the principles of the paper shall
be. For example, the greatest editor
in the whole history of European jour
nalism, John Delane, never wrote any
articles of his own, although for thirty
six years he was the head, the heart,
the brain of the London Times. But
he directed every writer; he furnished
the thought, the policy, the initiative;
he bore the responsibility, and he cor
rectcd both manuscript and proofs.
Nothing less than the highest ideals,
the most scrupulous anxiety to do right,
the most accurate knowledge of the
problems 1t has to meet and a sincere
sense of its moral responsibility will
save journalism from subservience to
business interests, seeking selfish ends,
antagonistic to the public welfare,
Commercialism has legitimate
place in a newspaper-namely, in the
business Office. The more successful
a newspaper is commercially the bet
ter for its moral side. The more pros
porous it is the more Independent 1t
can afford to be, the higher salaries it
can pay to editors and reporters, the
less subject it will be to temptation,
the better 1t can stand losses for the
sake of principle and conviction. But
commercialism, which is proper and
necessary in the business office, be-
comes degradation and a danger
when it invades the editorial rooms
Once let the public come to regard the
press as exclusively commercial bust
ness and there is an end of it's moral
power. Influence cannot exist without
public confidence, and that confidence
must have a human basis. 1t must
rest in the end on the character of the
journalist. The editor, the real 'jour-
nalist'' of the future, must be a man of
such known integrity that he will be
above the suspicion of writing or edit
ing against his convictions. He must
be known as one who would resign
rather than sacrifice his principles to
any business interest. 1t would be
well if the editor of every newspaper
were also its proprietor. but every edi-
tor can be at least the proprietor of
himself. If he cannot keep the paper
from degrading itself, he can refuse
to be party to the degradation.
BY far the larger part of the Ameri-
can press is honest, although partisan.
1t means to do right; 1t would like to
know how. To strengthen it's resolu-
ton and give to its wisdom the indis-
pensable basis of knowledge and in 4
dependence Is the object of training in
Journalism.
We are embarked, whether we like
1t or not, upon revolution in thought
and life. Progress is sweeping for
ward with accelerating force, outstrip-
ping in decades the advance of former
centuries and millenniums. All pro-
fessions, all occupations but one, are
keeping step with that majestic march.
Its inspiration has fired all ranks of
the marching army, or must we except
the standard bearers? The self CON
stituted leaders and enlighteners of the |
people what are they doing? Stand |
ing still, lost in self admiration, while |
the hosts march by? Are they even |
doing as well as that? Is 1t not fact |
that the editors of seventy years ago |
were, as a rule, better informed in |
law, politics. government and history |
than those of today? The statesmen
and lawyers and political students who
used to do editorial work for ambi-
ton or intellectual pleasure have
ceased to frequent the newspaper
offices. There is no trade so humble
that it is not developing standard of |
based on thorough train
ing. For the more intellectual pro-
fessions-law, medicine, art, archi-
lecture, music. engineering in all its
varied branches-the years of prepare
ton are stretching over ever lengthen-
ing periods.
Is the most exacting profession OF
all. the one that requires the widest
and the deepest knowledge and the
hrmest foundations of character, to be
left entirely to the chances of self edu-
cation? is the man who is everybody's
critic and teacher the only one who
ioes not need to be taught himself?
1t has been said by some that my OBJ
ject in founding the College of Jour-
nalism was 70 help young men who
wish to make this their vocation. 9th
ers have commended 1t as an effort to
raise Journalism to it's real rank as
one OF the learned professions. This
Is true. But. while IL is great pleas
IRE to feel that large number OF
Young men Will be helped 10 a better
start I'm life by means of this college.