The Detroit times., 1912-08-02

yertiser and does not truckle 10 him
or dispose Itself 20 secure his bust
ness, In short. II commands and
does not obey.
IF the theorists would think log
ically for a few minutes, they would
see the correctness OF this PROPOSE
ton. The strong newspaper acquires
It's power on basis OF public conf
dence. The advertiser nnds a consti-
tnency- which has faith In its news
paper much more productive OF bust
ness results than subsidized sheet
could possibly find.
Not only do advertisers not run
the policy OF newspapers, but they
seldom or never try. have been for
20 years in the business ONCE OF the
New York World. and do not recall
half dozen attempts on the part OF
advertisers 10 influence IL and OF
these attempts only one was a mat
ter OF public concern about which
there were two very fair opinions.
We did not accept the advertisers
view.
1T is some five years SINCE have
had an advertiser ask me TO do any
thing even In his personal interests,
unless perhaps 10 print a wedding
notice. or tho mention OF some social
affair and in this | rather think the
editors treEted him more shabbily
than II IL had been some one else.
Good editors are not interfered with
on great newspapers. IL they were,
there would be neither good editors
nor great newspapers.
The third question asked: How
Is news service affected by the non
journalistic interests OF the capitalist
owner? This is one OF the shibbo-
leths that come piping regularly out
OF Wisconsin. In my wide range OF
newspaper acquaintance, l do not
know any capitalist owners nor do
know any successful newspapers that
are not owned by themselves. II is
not possible for newspaper TO be
successful, run in private interest.
The newspaper is public con
Germ, and when II ceases to serve the
public II ceases TO be a successful
newspaper A good many men have
tried 10 start newspapers or have
bought newspapers with the idea that
they could in some way manipulate
them TO a private interest. The re
suit has always been disastrous.
The very few capitalists | have
known who went into the newspaper
TO help out a poor editor lost their
money, and were sorry they ever
played with the game. II ought to
be clear to the average mind that q
newspaper is the one thing in the
world that Is run in the open. II
prints what 1t has to say where every
body has access to II, on the open
page.
The newspaper costs very little
money, and the poorest man or WON
an finds II within his or her Seach
There is no excuse at all for any
body being deceived by what appears
on the printed pages. Moreover, In
no busine2s or profession is there
such rivzlry as in that Of making
newspapers, and II the editor or cap
italist proprietor should try TO mask
something. he would soon find It torn
away and laid naked to the world.
This Wisconsin cry about capital
list ownership interests me mildly be-
cause I would like TO know what II
is based upon. Who are the capital
lists? Where are their interests
Who are the editors whose minds are
perverted? What reporters are com
PEELED to write against their will;
II would be interesting to have list
made for further analysis.
The popularity OF the newspaper
lies In the fact that II, more than any
other, Is an unshaped article. l mean
that II must conform to the news. II
cannot remake lit or remodel It. II
can and does make mistakes, but that
Is the limit Of its possibilities. The
, manufacturer can turn out an article
OF a peculiar pattern, while the news
paper can only print what IL finds
and can only convey the result to its
waiting public. The editorial opinion
II seeks TO build must grow with fact
and reason and not by mere asser,
ton. In short, it is an advertising
medium In presenting news, issues
and trade. The newspaper can have
no other purpose and be a newspa-
per, and If 1t is not newspaper, II
will die"