The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-06-11
.W[fkLY NEWSPAPER
Bryan Shows the Relative In
fluencc Of newspapers.

Democrats often complain OF lack
OF representation among the dailIes
of the large cities, and they fire.
quently make an effort to riase money
by subscription to assist In starting
q daily. 1t Is becoming more and
more evident that much better re-
suits can be- obtained from the start
ing OF state weeklies.
A daily Ia large city IL bust
ness venture until IL succeeds, and 1t
becomes great business enterprise
| II Il does succeed. IL requires q
large aud neccssitates large daily
pay roll. As rule, daily paper
docs not succeed until some one per-
son has secured enough stock 10
make 1t worth his while To devote
his entire energy TO the paper, and q
| man who makes business success OF
la large newspaper must give bis
whole time and attention 10 IL. As
soon as daily Is en- paying basis II
tends TO hecome OF less ard less value
as d party organ and as vehicle for
the spread OF party doctrines. As q
rule, 1t Is edited In tho counting
room rather than In the editorial de-
partnent, and In most cases the
owner Of the paper Is not the editor,
A man who has the business ability
to build up great newspaper plant
generally has not the training neces.
sary for the writing OF editorials.
We find, therefore, that our great
dailies are becoming more aud more
impefsonal; they have no individual.
ity behind them-no conscience
which speaks through them. The
editorial writer's come and 20 while
they stay their editorials are shaped
to meet the wishes OF the man OF
group OF men In control. Some 81
the large dailies are owned by corpur-
late interests that need newspaper de.
tenders and many OF the dailies are
so connected with exploiting enter.
prises as IN be worse than useless rs
opponents OF public opinion. Ii Is
not unusual for all Of The newspapers
OF city 10 rally about some fran
chlse holding company when 1t seeks
further privileges, and yet the cor
poration candidate may be- defeated
in an election by one who has no
newspaper support.
So much for the daily. Because OF
the waning influence OF Its editorial
page 1t is likely to become more and
more a mere newspaper, appealing
for patronage TO the members OF ali
parties and relying upon Its adsertis.
Ing for its profits.
Ii the democrats OF state need az
organ, let them establish "A weekly at
the capital OF the state or AZ some
lother distributing center. Ii there
is already established newspaper
which Is ably edited aud which de
votes It's attention 10 state and ma.
Itional politics, IL may DO easier u
convert this paper into state organ
than To establish new one. Let
the paper be known as the state or
Igan Of the party and let the state
committee use IL for the spread oI
such information as needs to be pre-
sentsd 10 the voters Money put IN,
to weekly will enable the part,
leaders 10 reach great many NOR,
voters than could be reached by tbs
same amount invested In daily
and the weekly IL read more CAREFUL,
than the daily.
The editor of a weekly Is known
his character stands back OF hi,
writings and Is pledge for tbs
truth OF what he says. The week.,
Is likely To. grow In political inilDene,
for II Is the only paper that can h
owned and edited by the same man
The editor Is close to the people ant
not only knows their necessities, bui
cannot afford 10 betray his reader
into the hands OF predatory wealth
Ills advertisers, too, are not OF TN
kind that attempt to control the pol
Icy of the paper.
We ought 10 have democrats
weekly of state circulation in ever,
state. The state weekly win no
only not interfere with the loca
weekiics but IL ought to work In bar
mony with them. Newspaper liter
atnre Is The cheapest that there Il
and as nearly every voter takes ses
eral papers there Is no reason why b
Should not take a weekly giving tb
news OF the community aud discus
sing local issues. and In addition SUI.
scribe for state weekly which wi
defend bis Interests IN all matters q
/, state Importance. The Commons
cannot cover the ground OF the stat
weekly because II Ii national rath
: er han state paper and Its column
are devoted To the discussion OF quei
lions Of national Importance. IL wi
cooperate with the state weeklie.
!, for each has a sphere OF lis Own an
Z all can work together for the pIomu
7 gation Of democratic principles, Il
= the advancement Of democratic 20
ieIes and for the preservation OF go'
: eminent 'of the people, by the pee
pie and for the people. y