Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-17
ON YELLOW JOURNALS.

Henry Watterson. In the Louisville
Courier-Journal expresses the opinion
that so-callod yellow Journalism cam
not last Every decent American clt-
zen must earnestly hope that this will
prove true. Mr. Watterson argues:
In time people will become familiar
and grow tired of It's tricks and Its man
ners. Sausages o. dog-meat, though
nevc- so highly seasoned, will, after q
while, sicken all but the coarsest stom-
achs-psrticularly when sausages are
known 10 be made Of dog-meat, The
general public Will be educated 70 un-
derstand the difference between sensn-
tional and fake matter and legitimate
and reliable news Sprawllng headlines
VIII no longer suffice to carry fabriCa-
lions and exaggeratlons, and viii cease
TO provoke curiosity and therefore 10
make talk and attract attention Read
ers wlll mark the false statement Of
today which must be corrected or ig-
nored, tomorrow, and wN' -- ire or
their newspaper. AZ Of thei butch ana
their baker, straight food aud = deal
Ing"
This reasoning is forcibe. The taste
savagery, but that kind OF delicates-
sen Is discarded as higher level OF
civilization is reached. 1t Is so in the
intellectual world, too. The literary
dog-meat that satisfies the savage
mind cannot for ever be offered re-
spectacle class OF readers.
About o year ago one who had been
engaged In the Objectionable Journalism
made some Confessions" as to the meth
DDS employed, that ought to have OPP
ened the eyes OF the public. He told
OF tho taking OF interviews and mes
sages from crowned heads. lie related
the facts about war stories, and the
use OF the camera for purposes of de-
ception,
He said the takers on the paper that
employed him invented names ending In
sky and witch, and of and lon, and
gave them TO men who never existed
and supplied pictures OF their
wonderful exploits. The paper
called them dukes and counts
and princes This was kept W,
until Count CassinI began to write
and ask who those Russians were, as he
had been unable to find any record OF
them.
One incident Is peculiarly illustrative
OF yellow Journalism" The reporter
whose confessions we have referred
to. was ordered to secure hve-hun-
dred-word Interview with Mrs. Hazen's
parrot. II was at the time when the
engagement Of Admiral Dewey and
Mrs. Hazen was the topic OF the day.
The reporter found that Mrs Hazen had
no parrot but that one OF her SER
wants owned a bird. The latter had
not, however, learned to talk, This
truthful report was sent to the office,
but word came back to obey first in
| structions. An interview with Mrs.
| Hazen's parrot was, consequently, writ
| ten, and made as piquant as possible,
considering the circumstances.
Such Is yellow journalism 1t
seeks to influence public opinion
| through anything that appeals to the
| prejudices, the selishness. and the low
er passions OF human nature. False
| hood Is It's chief stock. Some time pub.
| lie conscience will awaken against IL,
and 1t VIII be condemned generally, as
It is now by all who understand its
nature, and It's corrupting effects.
Colonel Watterson believes that the
English have been educated beyond the
reach of that kind OF Journalism, He
says;
| journals that seem TO flourish In
| New York and Chicago could not exist
| In London. The reason lies partly In
! the character and habits of the people,
but more. | take II. In the force OF en-.
| llghtened progress and the fxity OF
| standards, On the material side, New
York Is far IN advance Of London. But
on civilization meaning the accretlon
| OF human experience. London has fair
| lead and this Is seen IN the public or
der, IN the respect for law. and In the
challenge which society gives to limo.
| walton"