The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-18
Wednesday, March IS, 1908.
THE MODERN NEWSPAPER.

THE MODERN NEWSPAPER.
 Taking a lead of his own creation, | Colonel Harvey, the editor of Harper's 1 Weekly, succeeded in treating the sub ject of newspaper making in the Brom- ley lecture course at Yale in an inter- esting and suggestive manner. What added piquancy and spirit to the lec- lures was sample copy of news paper devised especially to pre- sent in concrete form the speakers idea of what a news paper should be to meet the needs and normal requirements of the reading public. So far as we know this is the first time in the history of American journalism that an editor has been able to- do just what he wanted to do in the way of manufacturing a finished pro- duct. This must give Colonel Harvey no end of satisfaction. For once an ed- itor has been able to defy both the bus mess office and the advertiser; theory has asserted its full authority.
 What would become of such paper as Mir. Harvey has produced need not be discussed, for the reason that only actual experience could determine it's success or failure. If an investigation was started among the editors of the country 1t would probably transpire that each would have some definite change to suggest. born of realiza- tion that an editor is not so free as he appears to be to make 8 product ac- cording to his own notions. But on a majority of editors would agree with the lecturer that the modern newspa- per consists of too many pages; that an intolerable burden is put upon the reader where light burden could be carried without loss of any kind Says Colonel Harvey: "I venture to say that three per cent. of you never look at the last two-thirds of the New York pa pers." In other words, in a mad scram- ble to advertise its enterprise the aver age New York newspaper, with many imitators throughout the country, has made the number of pages the meas ure of its genius. The advertisers have fallen into the net and the reader has found himself powerless to resist the visitation of multiple sheets. It would be idle to argue that the product is the outcome of the talent residing in the editorial rooms. It is not for there lies hidden the power of condensation in it's highest state of cultivation. Nor is it the product of popular demand. The newspaper of many pages has succeed ed in impressing itself upon public always more or less fascinated in be- widered sort of way with the art of newspaper manufacture, but this does not prove that the theory is a sane one.
 There are, on the other hand, many signs that the public will sooner or later show its approval of the news- paper which keeps it's number of pages at minimum while not neglecting the publication of news which is import ant. This will involve the education of both the advertiser and the publisher, but it will only let the editor come into his own. But there is another agency at work to bring about the more normal newspaper product and that is the price of paper. There is no reason to believe that the manufacturers of paper have taken advantage of an un- derstanding among themselves to raise charged in an irresponsible way. It is entirely believable that the price of Ia. bor added to the cost of wood has made an advanced price necessary. Re. lief might be sought in the removal of the duty on wood pulp, but it is doubtful if that would be satisfactory There is no reason to believe that Can ada would withhold an export duty though as matter of sound policy tht duty should be removed So that in ad.  dition to the growing demand of tho newspaper reading public to be spared the affiiction of the newspaper multi. pie, nature appears to be well in the conspiracy. In this connection Tht Journal-Courier can say that it's am bition is to meet so far as it is possi ole to do so this intelligent demand fol all the news in its most readable ant convenient form, consistent with tn, proper demands of it's increasing nun Der of advertisers. It agrees with Col onel Harvey that the newspaper whicl seeks to make the number of it's pagei pose as a mark of enterprise is doin. business under false pretenses. Tht Nptv York Sun of twenty years ags