The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-04
JOURNALISTIC OPPORTUNITY.

JOURNALISTIC OPPORTUNITY.
At the Convention Of the North Carolina edi-
tors, DR.. w. p. Few the president OF Trinity
College. in that State. delivered an address
timely and suggestive and strong, during the
course Of which he seized the opportunity to
warn his audience of distinct and dangerous
tendency in modern Journalism. This danger
Is that which results from yielding to the temp
tation. on the one hand, to allow the counting
room of the newspaper to dictate its editorial
utterance. and on the other. to permit the policy
OF the paper to be governed by partisan precon.
ceptions and prejudices.
Dr. Fews message should claim thoughtful
consideration of the press at large coming as
1t does from a scholarly and Independent think
er on the outsde-one who has both the ability
and the disposition to render exact and truthful
judgment
UnQuestionably the mission of the modern
newspaper Is a great one in its possibilities Of
good The ability of the press to-day to gather
and disseminate information lis nothing short of
marvellous A perfectly organized and highly
developed news service; the rapid transference
OF words over wires and transportation of mail
over rail; wonderful mechanical equipment
this bring the news Of a world to the doors of
the newspaper every day and almost immed-
atey the newspaper carries that news and dis
tributes 1t at every mans door, This bestows
upon the press educational value and moral
influence that entitle it to stand by the side of
the pulpit and the school-room as a member of
the great trinity of educative and reformatve
| forces of life.
| The rush of the age adds to the power of the
press. Few men have time for personal inves-
tigation and independent thought. They gather
their information, form their opinions and create
their convictions through hasty perusal of the
daily paper. Indisposed to thought the paper
does their thinking for them. Unused to those
laborious processes of reasoning essential to log
ical conclusions, the paper gives color to their
convictions. Hence in moments when action il
required of men in public affairs, that action is
suggested and controlled to large extent by the
newspaper which daily directs the mans chan
nels of thought.
/ II is easy to discern the almost unriyalled in
fuence of the press for good or evil 1t car
only be for good when the paper is sincere In
its purpose to give only news that is accurate
true and wholesome; only when the paper Ii
independent In spirit and free from such ALI
ances and obligations as permit it to be un
trammeled and unafraid in the expression of it,
opinion. too close connection, between tn,
counting-room and the editorial sanctum of thu
paper. or an entangling alliance between an,
party or interests on the outside and the man
,agenent of the paper on the inside units tina
paper for d proper leadership Of the publ,
mind and renders it absolutely incapable d
exercising independent thought and expressin,
fair opinions upon any great subject precip
itates a conflict between the interests Of th'
public and the interests of the paper. For thil
reason we find papers coloring the news, dis
torting the facts, seryile and partisan In thei
editorial utterance. To permit the "tll" or tn,
tribe to dictate the policy of paper is to b,
false to the highest ideals and principles O
journalistic integrity and utterly unmindful O
the newspapers' opportunity and obligation.
DR.. Few has led us into moralizing; but Ger
tainly with no intention OF applying these prin
ciples OF the ethics of journalism to other thar
ourselves For ourselves. we claim the SINGER
and earnest purpose to form our convictions ant
TO utter them without fear or favor FOR the vel
fare OF the people along all lines. We propos,
to be true to ourselves believing that it follows
as the day the night, that we not then b,
false to any man.