The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-08
A Chief Function of Paper.

would find their occupation gone.
A Chief Function of Paper.
In recounting the advantages of
modern newspapers, DR.. Sheldon over
looks one of the chief functions of
the daily paper. One of the things
which not only give it an excuse for
existence, but which doubles its value
to the community, and that is, the part
it plays in the mmercial life of it's
community and of the nation. The
newspaper of a generation ago accept
ed advertiseme for its columns
Advertisers spent money for very
much the same reason; they
thought they ought to support the
newspapers Today that is changed.
The situation is just reversed.
Advertisers spend money with
newspapers. Newspapers accept the
advertisements for one reason, because
the community needs the news of it's
business world. The advertising col
unln is one of the great factors in the
modern business world. OF course, if
We believe that mankind should lead
q. simple, unprogressive life, and that
the highest ideal of existence is found
in the cloister, this phase of the news
paper will not appeal to US, but if you
believe as I do: that the subduing of
the wilderness; the building of high
ners of the earth together: and all the
achievem ents of modern times and
commerce are good, then you must
account the business side OF the news
paper as of equal if not greater i'm
portance than the editorial side.
Under the heading. THE Weak
Points of the Modern Newspaper" DIR.
Sheldon refers first, and properly, to
the character of much of the adver-
Using carried, but, in my judgment, he
does not treat this phase of the sub
ject quite fairly. For instance, he
does not recognize in his address the
very rapidly growing tendency of the
great newspapers of the country to
throw out all liquor advertising, or at
least to curtail it greatly As examples
of this tendency, 1 refer to such great
dailies as the Chicago Tribune, Chi
cago News and the Kansas City Star.
I think also it should be said to the
credit of the newspapers of Kansas
that for years there has not been one
that carried liquor advertising. DR..
ferred to the fact that one of the most
striking things in Journalism during
the past five years has been the ten
dency of the daily newspapers to re-
fuse to. carry certain classes of medical
advertising which they formerly car
ried. If DR.. Sheldon means, that all
patent medicine, and all patent medi-
cine advertising are bad, I do not
agree with him. I believe it is as le-
ultimate to publish advertisements of
a really helpful medicine as it is to
publish an editorial upon good citizen
ship: it is legitimate because it is
within the field of good morals.
Sins of the Few.
Dr. Sheldon has condemned many
things which are confined to compare
lively few newspapers. The so-called
personal advertiser ents of which he
speaks are today found in compare
lively few publications, and no one
criticiSes these columns more severely
than does the press as a whole / be-
leve it would be correct to say that
such advertisements now appearing in
the dailypress are not half so numer-
Gus as they were five years ago. and
that they are censored much more
carefully than formerly. am not 1usti-
flying their appearance, but believe DR..
Sheldon'S paragraph on this phase of
the subject leaves on the mind a very
incorrect impression of the situation
and of the current tendency. There
are $4,000 daily newspapers in this
country and my impression is that
less than 200 of them are running
what is called nasty advertising.
The fact is there has been a general
house cleaning in advertising in the
past few years. Many publications to-
day absolutely guarantee the reliable
ity of their advertisers
I am not inclined to find fault with
Dr. Sheldon's criticism of the newspa-
pers on account of unwarranted inva-
sion of private affairs. but his remarks
rather leave the impression that this
tendency is peculiarly rampant at the
present time. I do not believe this to
be correct statement of the situation
in current journalism. This portion of
DIR. Sheldon's address appears to me
to be colored too greatly by certain
unpleasant personal experiences of his
which are unusual to say the least and
which / am inclined to think do not
happen to one in 10000.
! There are comparatively few papers