The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-19
The Fault for Such Publica-
tions Is Primarily With the
People, Says VIM. E. Cur
tbs.
NOTED CORRESPONDENT
TALKS OF NEWSPAPERS.
A Paper Can Be Made Profita-
BILE Without Being SenSa-
tionaI = Would Suppress
Crime Details.

Desiring to find out something about
the trend of modern journalism, from
one in a position to know, a resident OF
Richmond. wrote to William Z. Cur
tbs. of the Chicago Record Herald. Mr.
Curtis is travelling correspondent 70.
the Herald, and his contributions &c
that paper are of such value that they
get the initial column on the front
page each day. For this reason Mr
Curtis views are of more than Ordi-
nary moment.
cusses yellow journalism, why it ex-
fists and what could be done to sup
press it. The letter follows:
Dear Sir:-In reply to your recent
inquiry / do not think there is the
slightest doubt that the character of a
newspaper might be changed by puD-
! lie sentiment, if that sentiment would
express itself by refusing to advertise
or buy a sensational, irresponsible or
worthless sheet. AS a rule, today
newspapers are edited in the counting
room. The pocket nerve controls
! its conduct and if it were made clear
that the people of a community would
not support a yellow journal, no yei-
low journal would be published. I
often hear people deprecating the dis
reputable articles they nave read IN
Town Topics or the New York Journal
or some other similar paper. and am
always tempted to say that il they and
others like them did not read such ar
ticles, they would not be published.
The fault, therefore, is primarily with
the public, because the proprietor of
newspaper will regulate. the character
of his articles and the general tone of
his paper SO that it will command the
largest support and make the most
money.
THAT a paper may be profitable
without being sensational. is illustrat-
ed by the history of the sChicago Daily
News, swhichfis one of the most prof
fable newspapers in the world, and yet
one of the most conservative. It is
published in the most sensational city
in the world and yet has the largest
circulation in that'city.
at have never known of any active
movement for the regulation or aboli-
tion of yellow journals. The New
York Journal has been excluded from
clubs and public libraries and reaG-
ing rooms, but that was to its advan-
tage. When people heard the fact they
wanted to know why it had been ex-
cluded, and bought it 20 find out, for
the same reason that indecent plays
are so we'll attended at the theatres
and indecent books have such a large
circulation. 1fsyou denounce book
as unfit for decent people to read, 1t
will have a very large sale, but such
things do not last long They soon
lose public interest. 1t is the good
and the useful that wear best and stay
the longest.
''If I were omnipotent I would sup
press all details about, crime. acci-
dents and other horrors except SO far
as an announcement is necessary to
cover the history Of the day.
Il would print none but true and
useful information and give as great
a variety as possible so as to interest
men. women and children alike. +
would require all articles to be signed
by the writer's. which would make a
responsibility. and encourage
the ambitious. But think. as whole, |
there is an encouraging sign in the
constant improvement of the newspa- |
pers of this country and in the char
acter of the men who write for them. |
"The reporters in our cities. the cor
at Washington and the ed |
1tors of country newspapers, generally /
speaking. are much better educated, |
have higher sense of responsibility,
and are more conscientious than they
used to be. 1 speak from personal OBJ
servation.
Il wish every club in every town
would discuss this subject and arrange
for a cooperation to support good
and refuse TO support poor /
pnes With best wishes l am. yours
very truly.
ssWILLIAM E. CURTIS"