The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-05-05
THE EDITORIAL PAGE

At the late meeting OF the toiiuo
State Press Association at Tallahas-
see, Mr. Frank L. Mayes, young man
who has made good in the newspaper
business in Florida. read paper on
THE Editorial Page
Mr. Mayes takes the position that
the newspaper of today, unlike the
newspaper of the early days of the re-
public, is printed for the news, and
that the editorial page is fast losing
if it has not already lost, its potency
and power.
In the early history of the newspa-
per the avenues leading to the gather
ing of news were very meager; there
were no railroads, no telegraphs noI
telephones; the stage lines were slow
few and far between; hence, in the
very nature of things, it was impossi-
BILE for the news feature of a newspa-
per to have been a very great factor
But as these things came along they
were quickly appropriated by the
newspaper and were made to contrib
ute whatever they were worth to its
Importance and influence.
In the meanwhile the editorial page
had not lost it's influence and the
great editors of the country, more
than the great orators, moulded and
shaped public opinion.
In our judgment the editorial page
has not yet come to be the vermiform
appendix, and the newspapers would
be more potential if there were more
12rentices. Danas, Greeleys, Bowles
and Wattersons occupying the edito-
rial chair.
If newspapers were appreciated
merely for their news features then
the average man would not care
whether his newspaper advocated re-
publican or democratic measures
whether they championed reform
measures or what Mr.. Bryan calls the
predatory interests. But as a rule a
man subscribes for a newspaper for
the political opinion it advocates, and
the news, while an important, is sub
sidiary feature.
If one thinks that the newspapers of
this country have lost their political
prestige, unite upon the election or de-
feat of any candidate, and watch the
results.
The newspaper that abolishes or
pays little heed to it's editorial page
loses in prestige and diminishes the
power and influence of that newspa-
per.
If the newspapers of today paid as
much attention to their editorial ut
terances as the newspapers did fifty
and forty and twenty years ago. they
would be much more potential and
their power would be strengthened
and accentuated.
Why do so many people subscribe
for Bryan's, Lafollette's and Waiter
sons publications? 1t is because they
know that they have opinions and they
are moved and thrilled by them.
The newspaper is untrue to itself
and unjust to its readers that per-
mits it's editorial utterances to become
obsolete. or to become of the milk
and water" variety.
This paper wishes that every news
paper had in it's editorial chair a Wat
terson or Greeley, or some near ap-
proach to those grand old men, who
had the courage of their convictions.
This paper hopes that the editors of
this country, like the vestal virgins
who kept the sacred fires burning,
will keep the editorial page aglow with
thoughts and opinions that will thrill
and move their readers to higher re-
solves, and that the newspapers now
and forever will be regarded as the
palladium of our liberties, and not a
mere channel for the dissemination of
news.