Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-07-22
WHY NEWSPAPERS PUBLISH TIE BAD.

Tins question s frequently discussed in a com
munity particularly when there is some special oc-
casion 10 condemn or cutcile the newspaper The
usual answer j, that the papers give the people
what they want or At least endeayor 10 approvi-
mate this Some cater 20 the better. more conser-
yatiyc element while other publications draw
their patronage from another class
AZ a matter Of fact mos, papers publish very
much more Of the good than they do Of the sen
ratonal. but the sensational is the unusual and the
unusual is always interesting he abnormal even
in he vegetable kingdom will arouse interest and
attract attention Discussing this question the Dial
las Tunes Herald makes some deductions that are
10 the point The Tmesl ierald says:
Rev Mr. Mays a Baptist minister Of New Or
leans in a recent Sunday sermon referred in terms
Of condemnation to the too frequent habit Of pull
pi, and press which caters to sensationalism mag
niiying evils by great advertisement and mini
MIXING the good by slight attention We do not
employ the preacher language IN this article The
New Orleans States in referring 10 Mr. Mays ad
dress said that be- struck a note that ought to be
sounded oitcner Mr. Mays expressed the opin-
ION that there is SO much more good than evil
that the policy ought to be reversed.
HIS language firs Dallas and other cities. and
towns Of cxas The better New Orleans, he
said Is Tar more evident than the worse News
Orleans Ter churches her hospitals. her refugees
schools and homes on every hand her splendid
nimaucs asyums and eleemosynary institutions,
her bethcls for the seafarng men her 7. M C. n.
and similar organizations. her wealth OF beneSo-
lent orders. her many public and private educa
uonal institutions and her varied charitable or
carnations are evidences Of the spirit IN which
her people are working for the care and upft Of
humanity and the cxaltation Of her civic respon-
sbhues
Advertisement OF evil familiarity with evil, in
creases rather than lessons evil
Vice is a monster OF such fnghtfu men, etc
On the other hand advertisement OF night, IA
miiauty with good IN all departments OF life, IN
crcases rather than lessons all that is ennobling
Evil is more advertised than good because there is
a bad streak m humanity that somehow devours
H. recital while recital OF good meets silent, yet
not intense. sparkling eye approval This will
bc admitted
Suppose a reporter sent TO tract any real
conscientious minister, priest or rabbi. IN Dallas
for a week to put IN the Sunday paper what he
does or causes to be done for goodp How much
room would there be for anything else in that
issue It gwen the rhetorical adomment accorded
cvi} Now add to this one the week OF all the
preachers. priests and rabbs hospitals charita
bile n,ututions Salvation Army iraternal orders
our women in club work etc, etc, and how many
pages would our Sunday papers have-not count
ing advertisements Why, Il It were possible to
run down the good work OF Individuals don
lri the lett hand know what the right doeth' sort
i'm Dallas Tor a week several isues OF daily
would not contain them.
Evil has too much advertisement for the good
ct the world
But suppose all the papers but would quit
publishing the evil wouldn't ha, ono have a fear
.ul clrrulaton} So the papers are not to blame
Herein is the paradox Good men and women
Tar ou,number the bad the good done IN the
world lar ou,balances the evil, but when it comes
To reading
Men seem 10 love darkness rather than
hight Who can say why}