Newark post., 1913-03-12
TRUTH-NEWSPAPER POLICY


world. All they want is the Truth,
and when they get that, they act
clearly, logically and sometimes
with surprising speed. y
-GovernOr Eugene Foss.
THE TRUTH, that S the de-
mand of the hour. Truth is the
thing most needed today. This ma
tion-wide cry for publicity is not
all a morbid curiosity; it is mo-
dern American way Of efficient SER
vice. Get at the facts first and
progress based on public conscience
will follow. The people have be-
come very skeptical, and rightful
ly so, about any thing that occurs
in the dark. AS IA last resort it
has asked that the searchlight of
the press be turned all the time up
on everything that effects it's health,
it's comfort, it's safety or its pros
perity. There lies the duty and the
responsibility Of the Man behind
the Press.
A duty to print the news, with
out fear or favor, with RESPONSE
bility to see that the items in his
paper are recorded without preju-
dice, yet at the same time bravely
portray the facts, however difficult.
Not only is this true of questions
of National Importance, it is Of Vi
tai import in local issues
The writing Of unpleasant truths
is especially difficult to the country
newspaper man. In close daily
contact with many Of his readers,
often times friendly personally, it
takes bravery of no mean type to
expose IA wrong. Much more pleas
ant to suppress the Truth and de-
vote the space to the National Co.
lonial policy of country editors OF
suppressing the unpleasant things,
even often times bearing directly
on the town welfare, has brought
the rural paper to be considered a
joke. Writing pretty compliments,
whitewashing ills for fear of hurt
ing the town, catering to every
whim Of grocery store popularity,
fearing to dare speak the Truth
has destroyed the confidence and
respect for the country weekly.
The rural paper has an oppor-
tunity for good, not equalled by
any of the metropolitan dailies. It's
sphere of influence is limited but
by this very fact, its usefulness is
the more vital.
The news as printed in the rural
paper is seldom exaggerated. =
pecially is tbs us true in the .-~=~det
ity of any thing ref or any of
at@ : : --Ll,l--g,rtti1er than exagge
.iJGf, there is usually a lessening
unpleasant details and in ma
cases an utter suppression.
The policy of The Post in I
past has been to print in the ne
columns the facts without fear
without coloring the story with p
sonal opinions. How far we ha
succeeded in doing this, is
others to judge. In our editor
column, we have given our vie
Of these facts, as one man s op
ion, TO be taken at our readers V
uation of their merit.
In looking back over our TIN
years experience as country nev
paper publisher, We feel our gre;
est mistake has been a restrai
rather than an exploitation of sol
pertinent Truths. AS to our lo
atty to our adopted town, that
capable of varied meaning, esp,
tally when discussed by an ortf
dox .Let-well-enough- malone.
be of interest, and by publicity,
our little part in making this wor
a better place to live is to us a mo
practical and worthy ambitic
THE POST in its little way e
deavors to promote all that is f
the town s welfare. No scheme
idea proposed for the public gO
has failed to gain publicity throus
our columns. And we rather enj,
seeing some of these improvement
about to be realized. This, we re
lize, has subjected us to an insin
ating but never an open critics,
But to suppress from our co
umns the publication Of the viol
tions of law and order, to fail
point out what to our mind is d
strctive influence to the young bo
of this town, to neglect to call 8
tention to-say-the opportuniti
and advantages of a free hbrar
even in face of strongly adver
criticism, cries of "shut-up, =" ca
pet-bagger, - "who is he al
what nOt-these smack of a COY