Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-03-08
THE EDIToR ANp THE SPOTLIGHT

In protraced speech Mr. La Toilette quoted say
he money power has gained control Of our industry and
government controls the newspaper press Cultured and
able still to be found upon the editorial Stairs OF all
great daes but the public understands them to be hired men
who longer express honest judgments and sincere convc
ton who write what they are told to write and whose uds
ments saaried'
Mr. sez rebued the senator for those above words and
more like them
II is extensively true that the editorial writer's of the great
daies do not express honest judgments and sincere convictions
1t Is true that they all hired men who write between
them what their employers want written
II Is not necessary to say the has got control
Of the newspapers
Il amounts to very much the same thing to say they are
from their countngrooms rather than by their editors
The man who stands for the paper is It's owner; ne who
pays It's bills takes It's profits there are any negotates its
loans when needs andpays the interest them when
he with the money that the advertisers furnish him.
The people the readers don't pay for their newspapers any
longer; the advertisers pay for them,
Their agent naturally not the editor but the publisher
The publisher nowadays usually the papers owner or his
representative and what he says usually goes.
The publisher has to be not only the newspapers pock
ct, but It's dominant voice.
That Is all natural and according to the Scripture which
says that whore the treasure there the heart shall be also
has come about not by plot deepad design but by in
The great papers have become enormous commercial
chimes requiring millions to finance them and asue business
management TO make them profitable sefsusaining
They impossible properties except for who have the
training and the natural force to run them.
But the upshot Of all is that all the newspaper editors in
big cities are hired mem not one Of them occupies position Of
frsate dignity and not important paper stands for its ed
tor, his character ana what ne KNOWS ana DeueVeS
Even Mr. Brisbane that renowned New York journalist is
not an exception
II Is not that our newspapers are so bad.
Some OF them are excellent newspapers
II Is not chat they would certainly be better editors once
more not publishers and their patrons controlled them
The New York World when Mr. Pulitzer handled II, was
quite an imperfect product
The elder Bennett when he made and the Herald got IRE
quent thrashings which he deserved
There those who wouldn't have the New York Sun In the
house when Mr.. Dana edited It.
But still behind the editorial page Of the Sun there
known and definite whose hand and mind shaped and directed
e. and who damned for what did Ill., and admired for its
merits.
So with the Tribune under Greeley the Post under Godn
the World under Pulitzer
Somehow the distinction to have evaporaed from the
daily newspaper editors Job
The man still able often accomplished often of tai
en and recude and beloved of his friends but far his
public place goes he Is a man behind screen,
Perhaps Il must be
There Is not any natural help for In sight
But s bad for profession when lbs aheS and worthest
practitioners work under orders all their lives and fail to win
distinction.
men will inevitably fight shy Of such profession