The Arizona sentinel., 1909-06-17
THE DUTIES OF ThE PRESS

its issues, it enters coincidently into a virtual contract to peform in return a certain service, such service consisting in printing in its columns from day tU day or week 10 week accurate accounts Of such events that are of interest 10, or h"ye an influence upon the life of,
 its supporting clientele, Individually or collectively. within the radius ef the field it has elected to serve. There is a virtual contract of such service, inas- much as patronage is secured upon the agreement to render such, and q sub- scriber to a newspaper renders his pa- tronage with the expectation of receiv- ing such service in return. A faithful and truthful adherence 10 the require ments of this service is a fHlfillment of contract, and entities newspaper to immunity from any implication of dere- lection. This constitutes the funda- mental duty of the press.
 Conceptions of methods and restric- tiuns in such rews service are as vary ing as are the types of human charae- ter as constitute the newS-reading public. There are those who hold that the abnormal phases of life are the most interesting and that newspaper should devote its chief attention 10 the sensational aspects of crime andaerlo- ton; there is the opposite class who hold that a newspaper should be an inocuous choroncle of births, mar riages and deaths, sports, pink teas and hay crops, with the morbid and violent incidents of life cosnigned to obscurity. Compliance with the ultra- demands of either class would initiate against an adequate news service; 10 compromise in such a manner as to reasonably please both sides is one test of successful publisher. unless he choose, as is frequently done, to serve one such faction of the public and ig- nore the other.
 In general, what constitutes news matter is public events that are of pri- vate interest, or private events that are of pablic interest. Et has been stated in the foregoing that the publi- catit;n of the accurate details of such events may be held as the fulEllment of the contract between publisher and subscriber. However, human events, especially public problems and execu- tire actions and r0lieies. are ofttimes of complexand many-sided nature ,and the plain sarration of salient facts may not reveal the most important sigDifi- canoes of such events. Herein enters the editorial function of a newspaper. Since it is to form opinions that a man reads newspapers and their chronicle of events, he is dependent upon the chronicler for truthful presentation of the facts that are the foundations for opinion. Even faithful response to this trust msy not be eflicacious. The superficial aspect of delineated facts may not reveal the underly ing meanings and motives. It is also poss sible 10 present facts in such manner as 10 make them saggcs: false meanings fo the uususpecting reader. This ire. Quently happens. it is the cutAnoner violation of the compact between pub fisher sEd subscriber, ranking with the deliberate suppression of facts.
 Recognition If tlse ;requent inslfil- ciepcy of the Ane mbellislzed news story to fully convey as accurate meaning to the average reader has given rise tn the exparding and interpfetative eG- iton-ial article. Originally the pews- paper editorial was chiefly prejudi- cist} dfa5rfbe setting forth the political propaganda of u party or party faction, its amplification of public events being purposely distGyting rssheT sbaA delin- eatGTp. The gr0wth of modern liberel thought has mainly relegated this mis- use of intellect to the dust-heaps tf mental progress. In its place has come the expression of more or less indepen( s enE thoTsSs upon the problems of the day or decade, national or provincial, a function that was in time past left to She philosopher or literary essayist, with attendant risks. From an innoe yaticn, it has become recognized es- sential feature of Sell-coadacted news paper, and the modern newspaper read- CT not only looks to the newspapers he patronizes for q truthful setting forth of the 6etails of the days occurrences, Iaost important-aHd especially those that have connection with public legis- latiOn-that the inherent causes and possible or probable effects may be fully comprehended. More than that, there is expected the suggestion of such measures and projects as may redound to the benefit of the individual and the community. It has become a clause in tho unwritten but thoroughly under stood contract between publisher and reader
 The editorial function has its abuses as we'll as it's benefits. It may be used 10 distort events as readily as to inter- pret them. In the use of aa cgotissic editor the editorial page may become the biased expression of one mans opinions; ia that of an ignorant and n- 1 no,Dpatena oditnp II ,,,o,, I.o o O,aDoco +,,