Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-16
THE ideal" NEWSPAPER.
(Kansas City Journal. J

(xansas City Journal.)
Newspaper workers the county over
have been more or less casually inter
ested in Mr.. George Hawey's lectures
on journalism at Yale university and
the printing of the ideal newspaper
by Mr. Harvey and his associated
theorists. By virtue of being editor
of Harper's Weekly, Mr.. Harvey feels
himself equipped to tell palpitating
constituency just what an ideal news
paper is, and to illustrate his conceit
he has published the Bromley Morn
ing News, a copy of which lies before
US. AS a sort of guide and general
key to the News. Mr.. Harvey includes
in the same wrapper pamphlet con
tanning some of his lectures explaining
the why's and wherefores of this
sample publication
The Bromley News is certainly de-
light to the eyes. 1t contains only
four pages, which, the editor remarks,
is quite enough for any newspaper,
and it is printed in the best style Of
the art on the presses Of Harpers But
to the man who has been trained IN
the practical school of experience the
Bromley News is hilarious joke. In
the first place, it bears evidence ot
having been many weeks III prepara-
ton. 1t is printed upon heavy paper
and its matter is polished and re-edit-
ed until it is painfully Adds nian AS
a vehicle Of live news and interest 1t
Is valueless to any save the nigh
proved professor of English, who
would doubtless relish it's contents.
From it's pedantic pages there stares
forth formidable sentences and ma.
jestic paragraphs which terrify and
benumb. 1t is grave and solemn TO
the point of being lugubrious. From
the first line to the last there isn't a
laugh Or a picture. There isn't even a
smile, save to those of practical eX-
perience who cannot repress a ripple
Of merriment at the absurdity Of the
whole thing So extremely paoantic is
this model of journalism that it dis
dams any feature that is rot as
mournful as an epitaph. If MI Har-
vey and his serious-minded friends had
to depend upon subscribers for the
money to print their ideal newspaper
they would starve &C death after the
| first ISSUE.
Only the back page is devoted to adj
| SO1 IiSlAE. AL CuC
ments are nicely seized up in an ut
terly impossible scheme, as Mr. Har-
vey calmly announces that he does
not believe in breaking column rules
and in accepting advertisements more
than a third of column in length.
Not only this, but he takes stand
against the very life of the modern
newspaper which strives to secure all
the help wanted" business it can. He
says: This paper would sell space
to any general advertiser, but not to
every specific advertiser; for instance,
it would not take a situation wanted
advertisement or help wanted
advertisement" But here is the prig-
gish conclusion of his discussion of
advertising help wanted" items:
Being a general newspaper for an
average reader, it would have no more
right to print an advertisement which
did not concern it's constituency than
to print news that did not appeal to
them" The old newspaper man will
smile at this high and disdainful
| idealism.
Although there are only three pages,
Or eighteen columns of reading mat
ter in the entire paper, Mr.. Harvey de-
votes more than column to music,
| discussing the lett motif of Tristan
and Isolde while his sporting news
is cramped into half column and is
handled in the deadly solemnity of
staid literary elegance. The editorials
are heavy with political ponderosity
and SO beautifully nodded that the
average writer who turns out the regu-
lation editorials with the speed of a
high pressure engine will look upon
these polished gems as real, but i'm
practicable, art. The whole ideal
newspaper is ridiculously and hope
lessly ideal. 1t couldn't be edited and
printed in any newspaper plant in
America in single day, and not one
person in hundred would pay cents
month for it. College journalism Is
truly beautiful, innocent and ennoh-
ling, but in this matters fact world
newspapers must pay interest on
heavy investments and make some.
! thing whereWith to pay salaries. That
| is where college journalism and
practical newspaper production part
company. Almost all persons believe
they can run newspapers. 1t seems
the simplest thing imaginable. Yet
the dreamers, the idealists and the
stylists must remember that the mod
ern newspaper is a product of evolu-
ton. Just as the methods of turning
out steel rails have improved with
time, 80 has newspaper making, until
its production is a necely balanced
system Of compensating energies Mr..
Harvey should get closer to the public
and learn that the average newspaper
reader does not want studied literary
effect. What he wants is the news in
as simple and complete form as pos
sible. He wants reliability and re-
sponsibility in his newspaper. The
nearer newspaper producers get to
supplying this kind of product the
closer they are to true idealism.
Money cuts poor figure in brain
vacuum.
The unconscious habit of smiling
promotes wrinkles.
A fat is often employed in the in
81. 80