University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1909-04-13

and unifies public opinion. 1t makes
certain that the people scattered over
vas, expanSe of 3 million miles OF terri
tory shall keep in touch with each oth-
er'S IDEAS. and shall not split up into an
indefinite number of Independent com
munitie>.
But in order to preserve this great
function it must be read by rich and
poor alike so its price must be WITHIN
the reach of all Unless we are ready To
adopt the ari>tocratic position of the
late Lord Salisbury. and oppose cheap
newspapers a. inccndiary diSturberS OF
the old order. We must accept the tact
that the advertiser must bear share
of the cost Of publication. But the I'M
pnrtancc of the advertiser introduces II
fresh complication. Not. rs | suspect
v"u suppose. that he attempts t" die
/ tate the policy of the paper. In the
ease of the sort of newspapers We have
been cun>i,lrrin" tonight he doesn't.
/ sut hc must depend on the newspaper
to "rt him returns. and a. the great
majority nf his customers are women.
I the newspaper must print paper that
they will desire To read.
So the feminine portion OF the public
becomes at once. a. you will readily
perceive. Il part of the newspaper :
problem Man" the publisher of Il
profitable Boston newspaper used To say
is poor incon~epucnti iai creature at
best. am printing" Il newspaper for
he Women" I'm other words. since
women are the chief readers of advcr-
ti~emcn,- and this you may verify out
"I your own experience in order to OBJ
tain sufficient revenue To print the sort
"f newspaper that men like. the pub
fisher must first of all be- sure he i get
ting out Il paper that i attractive t"
women.
II i always must easier To rrc""niz"
Il problem than To- solve il. The news
paper knows that the average run of
the news applies chiefly to that por-
ti"n of the world which by convention
ha~ been marked off is the mans. So
it must depend on other material I"
interest the women. who. a. Virgil
painted ont. are a> variable a. they are
charming What do women want to
read: Again the journalist has his
>u>p;cion>. but he doesn't know So
he constantly experiments. if he i a.
restless a> he ought To be- in order to
lind out. Ii Il column of questions and
answers on beauty OF person seems to
excite Il lively interest in an important
part Of his audience. he retains il in
spite of the fact that it may arouse
drri>ion anon" the intellrctual>. The
newspaper. aS have said. is a great
manufacturing industry. and to the
best of it, ability ubirct To certain
limits which | shall refer To later-it
must meet the popular demand or 90 to
rr hi" business
Its pretty girl column is on precisely
I'll" same fo"tin" a> the counter where
they sell cosmetics in the department
store. SO with the page devoted to the
interest Of hou>ekecprr>. and the col
umn telling what to do when the baby
has wind collie. and the department adj /.
vi>in" against eatin" lee cream with Il
knife. They are all justified. provided .
they meet popular demand
With the masculine part of the au-
dicncr similar problems arise The .
newspaper is Il democratic institution /
1t "or~ into the home of the mechanic. !
the college professor. the clrgyman. the
prize fighter. the farmer. the merchant.
To get out Il journal that shall appeal /
t" rvrrybody is something of job. /
1t i assumed of course. that YOU
want I" know the News But what is
news: Perhaps the w"rkin. definition
l. that il Is what people want To read
after dinner. And that. you see throws
'hr whole question open again. People
complain that newspapers Discriminate
IN favor of bizarre the sensational. and
hat they overlook what j. really whole
some and significant Well. newspapers
are founded on human nature. And
what d" people talk about when they
ret together ri an evening: Things
hat are out "f the ordinary If Tom
my ha- been Il wrll-belIavcd boy that
lay. his mother doesn't mention il to
he nri"hbor-. But ii he upset the pie
over Il visitors gown. that is likely to
'c commented ON. N"hody thinks it
worth while to note that Mr.. and Mrs.
Grown are "cttin" on beautifully TO-
-"thcr. but ii Mr. Brown ha, appIicd
cor divorce. that i topic of con
'"r-ati"n. The newspaper .o>>ip- alon.
ntlcii after the fashion of "A "roup of
;i-iting nei"hhor> and on much the
amc variety "f topics Ii it didn't.
""Pi" wouldn't buy it and it would fail. ;
Ion VIII" are here tonight might have
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