The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-09-08
NEWS AND OPINIONS


lent and unchristian-like manner TO
pour out the walls of his wrath on the
head of the meek, lowly and mild man
nered young gentleman in charge of
the business department, because, for
sooth, an article which had been sent
to the Banner office had not appeared
in Saturdays issue in full, just as 1t
had been written. The wrothy caller
was invited to come again and hold
seance with the editor on the subject,
as the horrible act of omission was
without the domain of the business de-
partment, and consequently he was
barking up the wrong tree" Perhaps
the overly-exercised gentleman has
cooled off by this time and has realized
sumed; at least he has not returned,
and 1t is hoped that he has again at
tanned his mental equilibrium, and hay
ing done so that he will refrain from
carrying out his dire threats.
The little episode above referred to
suggests that perhaps there are some
good, well-meaning citizens who have
not correct idea of the relations sus-
tanned by a newspaper to organiza-
tions, or individuals, for that matter,
when 1t comes to making publications,
and to such this explanation is given,
although it should not be necessary to
make any statement on the subject
Primarily and above all else, The
Banner Is a newspaper, and It's field Is
Mt. Vernon and Knox county. 1t wants
all the news of this territory 1t can
get. Every possible effort is made to
gather the news in this territory. 1t
welcomes the sending Of news to the
| office and appreciates the act Of the
person sending 1t and is glad to give
It publicity.
There Is, however, vast difference
between relating news and expressing
| an opinion. The opinion is not news.
They should not be mixed together.
The news columns of The Banner are
open for the narration of the facts re-
garding anything of legitimate char
acter that has happened, and for the
announcement of anything that is to
occur, but an opinion concerning eth
er 1t entirely extraneous and does not
belong in the article. This should be
clear to every one.
IL Is not an unusual thing for per-
son to write news article and send It
to The Banner. But this does not mean
that the article will be published as
written. A newspaper is not hopper
into which all sorts of grist may be
| emptied. When an article Is sent to
the newspaper the writer Of It should
understand that he has only submit
ted It. 1t may be published and 1t may
not be published. 1t Is the function of
an editor to determine that point-that
Is what an editor is for.
1t Is not an infrequent occurrence
for a person to send to The Banner an
article which is mixture of news and
the expression of opinion. If the ar
ticle were to be published as written
| the opinion 1t expresses Is adopted and
fathered by the paper, and becomes the
opinion of the paper, not of the person
who wrote 1t and sent it to the news
paper, as the writer may be known to
only few of the readers of the paper.
Manifestly, no person has right to
think he can send an article contain
ing opinions and expect the newspaper
to father his views Like all other
newspapers, The Banner has an editor
ial department in which the views of
the paper are expressed.
The Banner welcomes information,
verbal or written, concerning news
matters. 1t will not, however. forego
its privilege and duty of passing judg-
ment on what shall be admitted to its
columns, and il certainly will not pub
lish propaganda submitted under the
guise of news, whether ii pertains tu
the dry or the wet proposals, woman's
suffrage or the classification of proper.
ty proposals-the four constitutional
amendments to be submitted at the
coming election. The Banner will not
permit its columns to be filed with
lany propaganda. as a propaganda is moi
news. Any actual news as to meetings
and events concerning these proposals
will be cheerfully admitted to the news
, columns, but any effort to furnish an
opinion for The Banner to father and
adopt will not meet with success. The
opinions of The Banner will be written
by its editor and will be published I'd
the editorials department. The adver
| tising columns are available to the
propagandists.
The Banner trusts that It's attitude
which is that of all newspapers. has
been made sufficiently plain. and that
no over-zealous person will again take
r II upon himself to furnish an opinion