The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-07

me oeSt thdt any honest and
fair person, Radical or Tory, may
expect Of journalism in the mass,
10 that it shall give both sides a
fair hearing. So shall we have
FREQ discussion, which 10 the only
road by which democracy may
travel to its destiny."-WiII Irwin.
In Harper's Weekly.
The Associated Press, rated one of
the largest news gathering and dis
seminating associations in the world,
is made the subject of a treatise by
will Irwin, an accomplished publicist,
in recent issue of Harpers Weekly.
The same organization was recently
attacked by William Dudley Foulke,
of this city.
Irwin dilates illuminatingly on the
problem of modern journalism, and be-
speaks with clear tone the sentiments
of men who have devoted years to an
unprecedented presentation of news to
their readers. His exposition of what
intrinsically constitutes the power of
a newspaper strikes the keynote of
modern journalistic endeavor.
News Should be Truth.
ITO begin at the very basis of the
matter he argues, 'in news, not in
editorial opinion, lies the real power
OF the press today Give any earnest
and sincere journalist two columns a
day for campaign, and he cares not
what the editorial page may say. Now
news is, or should be, truth; and truth
has no absolute standard of values.
Referring to the charges that have
been made against the Associated
Press, that it colors it's news, that it
does not present the actual fact as it
really is, but as this organization
wants it to be read, Irwin says:
"The country has been feeling re-
Gently that there is something wrong
with the Associated Press. At this
moment we find it attacked from three
sides at once. The Sun Press Bureau,
a rival, is urging Washington to pro-
coed against it as a combination in
restraint of trade. William R. Hearst
is objecting to ruling whereby his
San Francisco newspaper is forbidden
to publish Associated Press news in
it's Oakland edition. Finally group
of radicals and Socialists in New York
are preparing a defense for Max East
man and Art Young of the Masses, ar
rested and indicted at the instgation
of the Associated Press for criminal
libel. Eastman and Young charged
can news bureau"
Basis of Power"
Tracing the growth of a modern
newspaper from obscurity to affluence
and power, Irwin shows that an I'M
flinching determination to print the
news as it really happens, irrespective
of editorial opinion or bias, is the day
spring of success. On this basis have
grown the influential newspapers that
are powers in their communities.
AS circulation grows. advertising is
sure to follow. THE value of a news
paper as an advertising medium is in
direct ratio to the confidence which 1t
inspires in it's readers Business obeys
eventually the law of self-interest."
If journalist permits the adver.
Using growth Of his business to inter
fere with his depicting of news, if the
advertisers threat, open or yelled, in
sisting or insinuating that the news
paper take a certain stand on a Ques-
ton be reflected in the handling of
news values, the journalist has for
feited his claim to decent journalism.
Objection to Press.
Anything which keeps the young
man out of directing journalism" IT.
win continues, 'is an injustice to the
people in general and public dan
ger. And that is the real quarrel of
the American people with the Asso-
ciated press. 1t stands at the gate of
journalism barring the new man."
Irwin argues that the Associated