New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-10

fornia. has twice fathered bill TO prevent
newspapers in the District of Columbia PRINT
ing details of crime. Most states in the past
FIVE wears have in one way or another mace
their libel laws more drastic, one Supreme
Court ruling that if a paper publish court pro-
ceedings. heretofore privileged, it must be pre-
pared 10 prove the truth OF statements OF wit
nesses Another state has held that plan TO
increase street sales is constructive malice.
These arc a few straws which show the d.
rect;on of the wind The agitation in lesis-
lative halls. undertaking magazines ana on
Cbautsuoua platforms has led many to be
Neve that the American press IS on the broad
road to the demnition bow-wows, when as
matter of fact, despite the phenomenaliy rapid
DEVELOPMENT Of American journalism IN the
mast decade. it has been more than ever re-
e,o1sive 70 the newly found ideals in business
and has at the same time come 70 more
thorough appreciation Of its professional as
pect.
FOUR MAIN FAULTS LAID AT DOOR
OF PRESS TO-DAY.
-Four main faults are laid at the door Of the
a
criminal negligence in the handling of news;
a suppression of important news to the ad-
vantage Of certain interests; conspiracy with
advertisers TO mislead honest buyers; and final
IT, a pandering TO the non-social instincts OF
ts readers by what is commonly known as
yellow journalism.
No one more than the newspaper man APP
preciates the inability TO get the truth and
the printing Of the truth. He knows that 1t
is possible only to approximate the truth, and
he is striving far into the night in an effort
TO reduce the amount Of inaccuracies IN his
columns. He has established fair play and
accuracy bureaus, by which men who have been
injured by inaccurate statements may get
Quick reparation, and through which, at the
same time, a punitive system IS established
which makes for greater careiulness on the
part of reporter and sub-editor. A few
wears ago il was practically unknown Tor
newspaper TO print correction or TO publish
communication which did not agree with the
paper's policy; to-day we find editors urging
readers to send in corrections and displaying
a broad policy as to the publication OF com
nunications Another tendency to the credit
Of the press is the eagerness with which 1t
welcomes to-day the college educated and
trained newspaper man, and the policy that
is prevailing in many Offices of employing
specialists in various lines.
One Of the favorte charges brought against
the newspaper and made much Of by Wiscon-
sin professor is that the editor suppresses
important news when it is TO his interest, per
sonal or financial, to do so. 1t is no uncom-
mon thing TO hear a critic say that the press
is venal because such and such piece OF
news about department store did not appear
in its columns. AS in art, the question OF
selection is the big one in newspaper making.
When an editor is guided by sense OF duty
TO the best interest OF his community, the
question Of what not TO print demands the
great part Of his time. as an executive, and
often fault-hnding critics will see in the sup
preston of a department store item grave
matter OF policy when in reality dozen other
items Of minor accidents or petty thievery
were excluded from the same issue being
purposeess. Suppression or publication OF news
often depends upon the editors judgment as to
the relative weight Of conflicting oblga
tons. What would the reader do if as editor
he had the report brought to him that there
were thirty cases Of nfantile paralysis in the
city. It is one thing to say with a wave OF