Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-20

put the most important news each day on
the front page, yet the contents OF no two
front pages are ever alike even where each
has at its disposal every item the other has.
What then makes news important? And
does the wealth or business prominence Of
a criminal make important an offense that
would attract small attention, II any, In
a man in ordinary station7 Is not one OF
the we'll founded criticisms leveled at our
newspapers because they give undue
weight to wealth and blazon the foibles
and folles Of the Millionaire in space that
might better be devoted to something more
useful? Is a crime committed by an adver-
tiser more important than the same crime
committed by some one who does not ad-
vertise? II Prof Ross were conducting the
endowed newspaper, which is his remedy
for all these evils. would he give publicity
as to important news" to the filthy mess
which he accuses Philadelphia newspapers
with suppresslng out Of consideration for
their advertising patronage while New
York scandal monger played it up in order
to sell papers on the strength OF that sup
preston? l freely admit that stuff like
that is suppressed or minimized every day
by reputable newspapers who will not con-
cede it's Importance" whether 1t concerns
an advertiser or a non-sdvertiser.
Incidentally, it must be remembered that
the newspaper is a legally responsible in
stituuon that can be, and is, held to
answer in damages for libel. 1t is easy for
| irresponsibles to circulate rumors reflect
ing on peoples regulations and slide out
! from under when the lurid tales are dis
proved. Loose talk and idle gossip are
altogether different from cold type in
black and white; the newspaper cannot
say it did not print it or meant TO say
something else. This also accounts in part
for the contrast of daring reckessness of
the newborn paper with nothing to lose
and everything to gain from libel suit
notoriety and the established paper Of
character that is naturally more conserva-
tive because Of what It has at stake
Prof. Ross would apparently classify as
important news" such occurrences as tbs
misbranding of goods, the sale Of potted
cheese treated with preservatlves, the
single tax agitation, assaults and resort!
to violence instlgated by employer!
(why not by employes) in tim,
Of labor trovbles, the dismissal o
school teacher by corrupt {?
school board the shutdown OF a factor!
or the lay-off of workmen, especially ii
|
tive Importance" of news items on sucl
subjects as these, everyone knows who
knows anything about newspaper making
depends upon a whole lot Of things. News
is important only by comparison, and wha
is Of first Importance one day Is Of sec
ondary Importance another day. Wher
there is really big news doing, everything
else is cut to the bone or sldetrackeC
| nj &c to w
paper because Of it's local bearing is un
important to another. Some of the sup
pressed items mentioned by Prof. Ros
may have been entitled to consideration
as important news" under the peeulia
circumstances surrounding them, but it i
also quite conceivable that they might b.
under other circumstances condensed eacl
to few lines and stuck away on SOM
back page, without any malicious desigi
or deliberate conspiracy of silence, bu
on the contrary with due regard to all tn
demands OF the numerous varieties of new
simultaneously clamoring for space a
that very moment.
Because newspapers as a rule prefe
construction to destruction, they are ac
cused by Prof Ross of malfeasance 70
selfish purposes. True, a newspaper de
pends for its own prosperity upon the pros
perity. Of the community in which it
published. The newspaper selflshly prefer
business prosperity to business adversely
A panic is largely psychological and tn
e newspapers can do much to aggravate o
c to mitigate its severity. There is no ques
ton that to the wiful efforts OF the news
? papers body to alay public fear an
Z to restore business confidence is to b
70 credited the short duration and compare
tive mildness OF the last financial cata
/ clysm. Would an endowed newspaper hav
d acted differently? Most people would freel
d commend the newspapers for what the
I did to start the wheels Of industry agai
+ revolving, and this Is the first time l hav
- seen them condemned for suppressing "in
i portant news" of business calamity an
o industrial distress in suhservience to
T. worship of advertising revenue
j. Sometimes the indictment proves alto
o gether too much. Prof. Ross ascribes TIL