Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-02-12
A. NEvIN POMEROY, OF CHAMBERSBURG,
DELIVERS HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS TODAY
Is President of the National Editorial Association
and Spoke at Twenty-Fifth Annual Con-
vention at New Orleans, La.

OF liberty, newspapers are becoming
the invaders of private rights No
household seems any longer safe
against intrusion. Our reporters are
being turned into detectives AS
surely as this be not checked we shah
grow to be objects of fear and hatred
instead OF trust and respect
Some one. ought to organize an in.
telligent and definite movement to-
ward the lettering Of what has reach
ed alarming proportions.
Il say this in your interest as well
as the interest Of the public and the
profession, for / am sure that you are
! gentlemen and want to be considered
| so, whereas the work You are often
set to do is the reverse of gentleman
| ly. 1t subjects you to aversion and
contempt-b brings you and high and
mighty calling into disrepute-by con
fusing the purpose and functions of
the newspaper with those of the
police and the scavenger. ! have been
| proud of that calling all my life, and
| when ! go to my account, I want to
see clean and honored flag flying
| from the masthead"
Governor Hughes of New York
speaking along the same line, con-
demned the ready habit of believing
and spreading evil stories about men
in public office. He pleaded with
those who go into journalism to be
fair with public men whom they criti-
else, although they comment freely
upon the acts of such men. "A man
who seeks profit in the sale of calum-
MES is the most dispicable of human
creatures said the Governor.
Every true newspaper man knows
the difference between the liberty of
the press and the license of the press.
He knows, too, these faults are more
glaring in large city dailies than In the
suburban press, nevertheless we all
realize that these tendencies are
growing and spreading. The effort
of the day to push the commercial
side of the paper to the detriment of
the editorial department, and the con
slant demand for excitement on the
part of the public, are partly response
BILE for the evils, but it is evident
there is great danger in the unre-
stricted belittling and cartooning of
our public men and affairs, causing de-
crease of respect and lettering many
of our best men from entering politics
While We do contend that the fair,
considerable, and wholesome news
paper still predominates, the profess
sion as a whole undoubtedly suffers
from the sensationalism of yellow
journalism. Two notable journalists
of the old school, have just laid down
the pen, and in commenting upon
their careers contemporary said:
Both Richard Watson Glider, of the
Century Magazine, and VIM Laffan.
of the New York Sun, were of the old
fashioned school Neither was ever a
muck-racer, and yellow journalism
was not of their kind. Both had
nothing but contempt for the new
tangled school of journalistic sensa-
tionalisn. They both became eminent
in their profession. distinguished
alike for great ability and far-reach-
ing influence, is the best evidence that
decent journalism has not altogether
had its day"
1t is to be regretted that some of
our great metropolitan newspapers
are directed by policy that is purely
commercial, and that the editorial and
reportorial departments are made sub
servient to the business office.
In the effort to promote circulation
and thus secure greater prestige for
the advertising department the edi-
torial and news columns are too fire.
quently converted into targets of as
sault upon men and institutions, with
no other end in view but to create 4
demand for the newspaper and there
by upbuild its commercial side. The
owners are, unduestionably, reaping
81 eater rewards, but in doing so is
not the newspaper of today losing it's
hold upon the public? Ofttntimes
the policy of the paper requires writ
ers to express sentiments in direct
opposition TO their better instincts,
for, as a rule, editors and reporters
are men of the highest type. Only a
short time since President Taft, in a
speech delivered in this very city, de-
clared that he had been thrown into
contact with representative of the
reportorial branch of the profession in
all parts Of the world and always
found them perfectly trustworthy. de-
serving Of confidence and necessary
70 his business. From the whole tone
of the presidential address it was evil
dent that in the White House the
newspaper reporter is regarded as one
o. the Nc'ent factors of civilization.
Thor IS the anne evidence OF conf
derco 'r me compliment paid by Adj
mira' Won Roster, Of the German
navv n the me1 who recorded his
'7' ed sayings during the recent
HuSson THhor celebration in New