Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-02

Daily Mall, IL WdS to TIE eieSI tie's
the strength Of a newspaper is solely
in the accuracy, intelligence, fairness
and celerity with which 1t handles
the news, and the editorial columns
count for very little as an element OF
the respect or popularity in which a
paper is held by its readers.
The subject is really a very inter-
esting one, especially to newspaper
makers, and a little discussion of 1t
will not be out Of place even from the
standpoint Of interest to newspaper
readers; but one serious trouble about
it is that any attempt to go much fur
ther into it than the Daily Mail has
already gone, is likely to lead in the
direction Of pretty deep water.
One Of the most successful and pow
erful newspapers the world has ever
seen probably, Is the New York Her
aid, and If there has ever been a news
paper in this or any other country that
has kept Is editorial columns more col
orless from the expression OF any KIND
of an opinion on any kind Of subject,
we have never heard Of that paper.
The Herald undertakes to give the
news Of the world with the utmost
promptness and accuracy, regardless OF
who it helps or hurts, and leaves Its
readers to draw their own conclusions,
and make their own interpretations,
and there is good reason to believe that
its success IS a newspaper Is due very
largely to this policy. 1t has always
stood and continues to stand in class
by itself.
Another paper that has always been
remarkable for the strength Of both Its
news and editorial columns, is the New
York Sun. The Sun has always shown
superb discrimination as to the public
importance and value Of news and has
never failed to try to tell the whole
truth in its news columns. At the
same time, however, it has always pur-
sued a certain vitriolic policy in its
editorial columns that has sought to
shape things as 1t would like to have
had them, regardless OF the manifest
trend Of actual conditions or other con-
siderations, and while 1t seems to have
held its own with reasonable success.
from the standpoint Of real power and
influence it has never been able to
keep pace with the Herald.
The Herald is a believer in the prop
osition that we cannot always have
things as we would like to have them;
but generally We must take them as
they are. The Sun has sense enough
to recognize that while things may not
be as it would like to have them, still
it would not forego its right to scold
at things it does not like, and try to
shape conditions into lines more to Its
liking. The principal effect Of these
respective policies is to narrow the
clientele of the Sun to the kind Of peo-
pie who think as 1t thinks and to leave
open the field to the Herald, who mere
ly desire facts upon which to base their
own conclusions; but as to whether
the contrast proves anything as to the
comparative influence Of the two news
papers, we are unable to say.
There are, no doubt, people who sub
scribe for newspapers almost solely on
account of the editorial expressions;
but somehow we do not think this class
is very numerous. 1t Is certainly not
true Of any ordinary paper in this
country; but still we do not know Of
many papers which have any editorial
strength at all, which would be i'm
proved by adopting the editorial color
ness of even the New York Herald.
But after all, any discussion or the
value Of editorial space in its relation
to the strength Of a newspaper, must
take into consideration the purpose and
manner Of the use Of that space. There
are editorials and editorials. Strictly
speaking an editorial Is a mere express
sion of opinion by the editor, and as to
how much such an opinion might be
worth, depends upon as many consid-
erations as does the value Of anybody
else's opinion.
Editorial columns, however, are fire.
quently used for other purposes than
mere expressions Of opinions. The
work of many Of the best editors in
cludes careful, conscientious studies OF
facts and circumstances, and give cor
rect and comprehensive explanations OF
many things that would otherwise be
imperfectly understood.
Taken all in all, we would not advise
the ambitious newspaper editor to at
tach too much importance to his edi-
torial efforts. We think common sense
comments and even mere expressions
of opinions, that are founded on reason,
are quite necessary for the makeup OF
a complete newspaper; but comments
and expressions Of opinion, no matter
how bright or able, can but Ill supply
the place Of live accurate and instruc-
tive news