The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-08

cate reports and plates ready for in
slant use on the press-one report de-
failing the acquittal, the other the con-
viction of the prisoner each with cor
rect account and headings for either
finding. A reporter from the court
room telephoned the Office guilty"
and the news editor shouted to the
pressman in waiting: Put on the
guilty plate Immediately the gears
turned and the newsboys rushed down
the street with their wares.
While this was an expedient, it is
what might be termed zone of the
tricks of the trade"
Similar in effect was the production
of a picture of an inaugural parade in
Washington on the evening of q GER
tain March 4th, showing a well known
president in a carriage, the streets
rain driven, spectators carrying UNI
brellas. Two cuts or pictures had been
prepared; one for clear weather, the
other for foul. The wires told of the
rain. The rain picture was used; the
the church without turning his head
stops the strain of music as the last
coin drops into the plate. A small mir
ror does the trick.
Efforts to Suppress News.
Many of the best people at times
think that a newspaper should sup
press certain news which is of more
or less Importance, and certainly of
general interest.
A short time ago one of the most
estimable ladies of this city te1ephoned
a newspaper office that she wished
the death of a young man at the tuber-
culosis camp in North Topeka should
be printed simply as 81 death notice
and without saying that the death oc-
Cured at the camp. The newspaper
believed that it should tell It's readers
where this death occurred, and it did
so, coupling with it, however, the
statement that it appeared that every
thing possible had been done for the
young man; that the camp and those
| in authority were in nowise respon-
sible: that the death from the disease
was inevitable and that the case had
been really hopeless from the start.
The item sought to convey the facts
which the readers would desire to
know, and yet be careful to not reflect
upon the good people who had done
their best.
| 1t was believed by the newspaper
that had the lady in question been
away from Topeka and depending
upon the paper for information of the
happenings at her home, she would
have thought the newspaper neglectful
of its duty had she not been informed
through its columns that the death
| had occurred at the camp in which
she was greatly interested.
| The publication of the item, how
| T.,
/ the lady and resulted in her declara-
| ton that she would not admit to her
home the newspaper which had print
! ed this news.
/ 1t is to be hoped that she is not still
suffering from Inconvenience of bor-
| rowing her neighbor's copy for the
purpose OF learning what is going on
| about her.
4 The newspaper is almost daily re-
quested to suppress items of impor-
l. Il k1ar -r-~4I :.
| piled with, it is safe to say that in
time the newspaper would lose not
only the patronage, but the respect OF
NEARLY all of it's readers.
! The modern newspaper holds to the
Hight both the good and the evil.
! Its publication of corruption in the
recent exposure of the wholesale vote
selling at West Union. Ohio, will GER
tainly have widespread good effect in
lunearthing corrupt practices elsewhere
and guarding against the inyiolability
! of the ballot.
The newspaper makes it possible for
the many TO be educated and to be in
formed quickly. 1t prevents the con-
troll of the few who may be unprinci-
pied, for it informs the many who de-
sire to know. Error was never SO diff
i ficult to spread. for the newspaper
i makes it easy to detect the wrong by
lspreading the truth.
j The newspaper is a terror to evil
doers Whatever may be the criticism
i that the newspaper prints much about
crime, it is the publication of the
crime, the knowledge Of it that the
! criminal is most anxious to prevent
! A widespread belief that the news
ipaper has back OF what it prints ar
Interior motive or desire to inJure i,
unwarranted.
Il Hunger for the Truth.
4 The newspaper worthy of its calling