The San Francisco call., 1909-04-16
NEWSPAPERS, THEME.
OF EASTERN EDITOR
"CommerciaIism and Journal
ism," Subject of Lecture
by Hamilton Holt

New Olh InQGDGnQCnAs ouN4OSSNa @
large audience in Hearst hail tonight
on The Weinstock lecture foundation.
The distinguished New Yorker pointed
out The strength Of the advertiser in
controlling the policy Of the modern
newspaper. and suggested that
scheme Of endowment after the manner
OF endowing universities would free the
newspaper from the influence OF the
advertiser.
Holt opened his lecture by showing
what an important part advertising
plays in the production of a modern
newspaper He said that Sl45,5l1 .osl
was spent in the year 1855 in advertis-
ing goods in the newspapers and mag
azines and that the receipts from ad-
vertising were now much greater than
receipts from subscriptions and sales
Indeed. almost all papers were at pres
ent sold far below the cost of produc-
UiOn, We're there no advertising the
subscription price would have TO be
multiplied from TO 10 times. This
phenomenal growth Of advertising had
had 4 double effect; on the one hand
il had made possible thousands of new
publications. turning the old newspaper
organs into modern organizations, and
on the other hand 1t had tended TO
cOmmercialize the whole tone OF the
press, in many cases actually limiting
free speech on the part OF the editor
holt continued:
There was & time not so very long ago when
Journalism was Oh the verge Of developing sys-
TEN OF professional ethics. based an other con
sidersrions than those Of the cash register Then
Greeley, Bowles, Mediu, Dana. Halsted OF
Raymond. wirh q hand press and printers
devil could start a paper as good a. any uni
7ersity consisting Of Mark Hopkins. student
and log. In those days the universal question
was What does old Greeley have 10 say be
cause old Greeley was ihe ultimate source OF ms
own utuerances. Imagine the rage he would
have f0wn INTO Il any one bad dared insinuate
rhar tlie advertiser dictated single sentence in
tie Tribune But now the advertisers are
aggressive. They are becoming organized. They
look upon the giving Of an advertisement 10 a
they have right TO expect additional courtesies
in the news and editorial columns.
Holt then took up the influences
brought TO bear upon editors TO make
them swerve from the strai ight and
narrow path. The press agents-good,
bad and indiferent-were discussed a
some length, and some amusing stories
were told as 10 how they piled their
trade Perhaps the best was of an
actress who was a great collector of
miniatures. But when the story was
printed in the papers and all the
friends Of the actress wanted TO see
the collection the press agent was
=
midnight robbery in which the collec-
tiOn disappeared Continuing Holt said:
The great book publishing houses are about
the only class Of advertisers I know Of who do
rot directly or indirectly seem TO object TO have
their wares damned In the editorial pages
Whether they have attained more than other
men 10 the Christian ideal OF turning the other
cDeeA; Wheuner tney fhlnk that nobody pays
any attention 10 a scathing book review or
whether they hold the best seller is the on
spring OF hostile criticism. 90 not know But
again ana again We have denounced books in
our literary department thar the publishers pay
good money praise In the advertising ia ges
Of the same issue. But with the small book
houses this happy relationship does not always
exist. II would surprise you 10 know how many
of them badger and threaten Some. / under
stand, have 2 rule not TO advertise where their
hooks are not indiscrinlinately puned II IS
poor maxim. however that won't shoot both
wsys Tor an sorry 70 repeat that some papers
adopt the equally bad rule Of pot reviewing the
books Of these firms who do not keep an ad-
Tertising account with them
Despite the pressure that advertisers
put on editors. Holt thought that the
advertisements themselves were never
before so honest or dependable, and
continued:
Leaving out Of account few stock phrases
which deceive nobody. such as the most for the
money" the cheapest in the market" ETC.
what is said about the goods 10 be sold is not
IN the least overdrawn. I have taken the
mains 10 20 over rhe sdvertfsinp columns % ~
leading pspers Of New York during the monf,
of February and with the exception Of few
risements, I could ind absolutely nothing that
OF the face of IL seemed fraudulent or even
misleading. The advertisers have at least come
70 realize that il does not pay 10 oTerstate
You can now order your purchases by mail
from the advertising pages Of any reputable
publication about as safely as over the counter
Of q store.
Holt after taking up yellow journal
ism, which he said was mostly a mat
ter of typography and theatres" and
which he held responsible for the pres
ent deterioration Of the art of report
ing, said he knew Of but four ways by
which commercialism could be elimi-
mated from our papers. He said:
First, the papers can devote themselves 10
getting 50 extensive circulation that they
can ignore the clamor Of the advertisers But
This implies q certain trucking to popularity
and The best editors viii chafe under such re-
strictions.
second the papers can become endowed. Tho
same arguments that favor endowed theaters or
universities apply equally 10 papers We need
some papers mat can say what ought TO be
said irrespective Of everybody or anybody and
which can serve example 10 other papers
not 50 fortunately cireumstsnced. But mani
iesllg me IerloQlcai INDUSTRY as whole is
much 100 large 20 Dc endowed and the few
papers thar may be endowed by private capital
or By the government would have only limited
influence on the industry a whole.
Third. the papers can combine in a sort Of
trust They have the whip hand If they would
stand together. But they are all 50 Jealous of
each other that probably any real combination is
. long way of. stu there are indications
agreement
au other interests are combining and they will
be forced 10 follow suit A newsDaper frusf
however would certainly be as iniInicaI to fhe
public welfare any other combination doing
business IN rhe fear Of the Sherman law since
81 would practically control the diffusion of
Intelligence and that no self-respecting den,oc-
rsry would OF should tolerate
Fourth the most effective antidote for con
mcrcialism is the old remedy which. II Sincerely
appiied- would solve most eli the sins of 50
ciety- refer 70 personal integrity. 10 charac
Ter integrity is me only thing in the news
Teper profession. as in life itself that really
counts.
Holt concluded his lecture with q
statement Of his belief that there were
never so great opportunities for public
service on the part Of Journalists as
today.
Hamilton Holt. mana ging editor of
the Independent Of New York. was
the guest of honor at a luncheon given
by former Assemblyman John O. Davis
Of HOLSTER at the St Francis yester-
day.
The Independent is one Of the lead
ing conservative magazine advocates
Of clean government and civic advance
ment in the east. II is taking a lead
ing part in the fight for the preserva-
ton OF the public service commission
n New York and IN Governor Hughes
direct primary fight. and with the Post
has taken an especial interest in the
Pacific coast attitude toward Asiatic