Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-01-24
THE MAKING OF NEWSPAPERS.
Address Of J. +. Melvin Before the East
srn Idaho Press Club at Boise.
January Is. 1913.

lftHNoN+'AA ADA me III THO Dholtrcc
Q had been engaged in the mechanical
e work connected with newspapers since
my school days of and on and cir
= cumstances over which / exercised very
little control II 1 tried to control them
) at all. led me into the proprietorship Of
paper or two as soon as reaching
mans estate. Although / devoted some
energy to them I won not much success
had Intended to get from under the
load and embark in some avocation more
profitable If not more 10 my liking. 1t
was while planning to this end that
that boy exercised an influence to fix
my calling If he did not make my elect
ion sure in the newspaper business 1
found the little chap had the nose for
news. as the great Dana used to say
Of good reporter.
We owned among other small effects
in the way Of this worlds goods a pet
horse and a pet COW. both equally be-
loved by the child as well as by the
'rest Of US. One day the COW. not from
any viciousness but by accident, i'm
paled the horse on her crooked horn and
in trying TO get away made a frightful
wound In the horses shoulder almost
indeed dismembeaing that limb. There
was lamertatlon In the household when
came home. The horse was likely to
die and the unusual cause was a thrill
ing tragedy. The poor boy was inconsol |
able. lie had sobbed himself nearly to
sleep. and then, as If seeing some good 1
to come out of the sorrow of US all, he
came to me with, Papa. the hurt of
poor Dolly will make good copy, any
how. won't it,"
SO / stayed with the job and that in
cident held me fast. How well that
little boy justified his fathers hopes
may be understood when l say that be-
fore he had reached manhood himself
he was earning as much as two hun
dred dollars per month in following the :
footsteps OF his father in the making {
of newspa Ger. l
This work, my brethren, is, as / take f
IT, about the highest calling a man can t
have. He must set down nothing in
malice. and yet he is called upon to re- t
port the shortcomings and foibles of $
mis- fellows whep those shortcomings and il
oibges go TO make up the legitimate r.
iews Of the day around him. Somebody II
Who is your enemy may be concerned n
Il some other body in the same fix II
nay be your friend. You would wish to W
HELD or show up in either case as fu
our personal feelings dictated, but you
iustn't l know that sort of thing m
ont do for l have tried it. There are
It's of rules laid down for our guidance in
nd they are good too, for 1 haven't pl
led them. But / may venture to say W.
lat one of the maxims of the immortal og
incoln should govern our actions more pu
lily than they are governed many we
mes. | refer that one wherein he ins
'oke Of his charity for ALL his malice
r none and of his strength for the utt
slH as he saw the right. Charity will pa
II only save US from harsh and I'M wi
1t criticism and cruel and unjust i'm gu
ltations and libel suits and terms in an
Il but spare us from the consequences pu
our own errors many a time, for in as
e management of a newspaper as in
cry other mistake. charity covers its
altitude of sins. AS a standard of con- nat
ct it will keep out malice pretty its
1t remains as the iast re-
irsnents Of the Lincoln rsle Of life so
1t we must have resolutions and firm to
IS of purpose to guide MS. And this
" be possessed without the least the
ster or ostentation or strut upon pri,
editorial hind legs cou
would put as first essential too. tina
suaiity of good temper into the in
Ms and editorial coluzlns-the use OF ceri
nor to enliVen the darkest and most will
agreeable facts whenever that may to
employed Some newspaper men rlal
e envied have been able if called up asst
to write their own obituary in "a
lsant view. JON
e1eiring again to editorial guide and pub
tos. have on my desk Fra
Look Sp and not down; ing
Look forward and not hack; A''''
Look out and not in. and iorh
Lend hand" e'"s
his. too, rs good. for 1 haven't fol- ''''0
ed il nor lived up to its precepts Nj
better than to the Lincoln precepts fions
Guild rather prefer the milder course rece'
conduct to that of the scold in the jam
spaper. for have tried both. The estet
accomplisnes results and TINT is Few
I we are after--to strengthen such grea
% stand; to comfort and help the ally
k-Aesrted; to RAISE up those who said
and finally to beat down Satan I'M ionai
our feet, IL is 50 much better and
,elp to build up than to lend our ship
gies ~ tear down. Benefit to our pillar
Wa as wsn as the surest means Of Ia u
-. I