The Alaska daily empire., 1914-08-15
INFLUENCE OF A n,,n
 MODERN NEWSPAPER

any other leglmiate business enter nrise would be conducted, for the pro fit in 1t, has became an engine Of pow CT unrivalled by any other power short of that of the Government itself
 And many people believe that 1t even controls the government to q large extent.
 Whence. then, this power, unauthor' ized by any act of law, or formal au' of the people?
 The truth Is, that this power has been Q gradual growth, originating many years ago in the country week ly. which was wont at all times to ex' press its opinions upon any and every subject, in oracular fashion. and by sheer insistence becoming, in the end the accepted mouthpiece of the com munity where 1t was published.
 The editor was talking to hundreds and to thousands, where the preacher or the corner street speaker could only reach a small part of such con stituency.
 It became the fashion for every family that could read to take the local weekly, and then, later on' the daily.
 And the editor of the daily was just as insistent a person as his pace-mak- CT, the editor of the weekly, had been, and his "Editorial Columns"-with a big letter E for the same, became the dominant feature of his publication.
 Then followed the era of so-called personal journalism" which develop ed a number of "big editors" includ- ing such men as Horace Greedy and the elder Dana. whose opinions were printed in such vigorous and forceful language as to make them of convinc- ing weight with millions of people.
 The day came when almost every American home had Ito daily news papers, coming regularly to the front door-where all honored guests were admitted, and when the people be- came voracIous readers of the news and of newspaper opinions-written by men in most cases personally unknown to the public.
 This was the beginning of the pres ent so-called impersonal journalism many dailies appearing with no names attached, save that of the publishing companies.
 But all through these years of de- velopment of the newspaper, the "edi- torial opinion" has teen really grow: ing factor with tbe waiafE!!,t''>of read. ets. siiS.'''SSen even though of impersonal and unsigned character Today the stand" that the newspapers take for or again st candidates for office and upon all large public questions Is of the great est importance in determining the fate of candidates and of measures.
 But the people do not blindly fol. low editorial advice. They have far too much intelligence to do that. In many cases the support" of can didate by certain newspaper will mean his absolute defeat at the polls, for the public at once reaches the con- clusion that sinister influences are behind that candidate-knowing that the newspaper in question is controll- ed by such influences.
 The very readers of the paper will vote against It's candidates as part of their religion. feeling that they will be entirely safe in doing so.
 And again, where it is a rabid par tisan organ" 1t gets some regular readers from the opposition" which wants to keep posted on all its poll. tical games.
 The editors of such papers, strange ly enough. do not seem usually to com. prehend the causes of their political Egotlsm is probably at the bottom of this lack of understanding, however
 But theee are many other news. papers which do have a direct in- huence for good upon the public mind and which do have a directing power in elections and in the discussion of public questions.
 These newspapers have gradually secured the confidence of their SUD- porters through a career of honest dealing with the people and as years go by their influence becomes more and more potent
 It is not lack of discrimination, or of intelligence, upon the part of the for example, in a given com. which makes them follow the lead of newspapers in choosing their candidates, but a feeling that the newspaper itself has had far more time and far better opportunities for looking into the records of the can. iidates and sizing them up," than any individual voter could have and that they can, therefore, afford to rust the findings of the newspaper.
 And in these days of long ballots md many perplexing questions of bond issues and the like, the average voter is more and more inclined to put it up to his family newspaper to ind out for him and advise, almost IS doctor or lawyer would advise patient or client.
 So today we have the spectacle of he vote-getting newspaper and the 'ther and sorry spectacle, of the vote- epelling newspaper.
 The influence of the press is most 'otent one, but it possesses many in. angible qualities difficult of analysis. Seattle Sun.
 IUNNELLs NOMINATION
 POPULAR AT SEWARD