Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-11-18
THE NEWSPAPER AS
A PUBLIC CARRIER
Of ADVERTISING
no REASON Why DEMOCRATIC
PAPERS SHOULD DECLINE RE
PUBLICAN ADVERTISING.
DIV POLITICAL ISSUES THE
TRUTH Is A MATTER or
OPINION.
ETHICS FAVoRS PAPERS PUB.
LISTING ADVERTISEMENTS or
ALL POLITICAL PARTIES.

advertising which Ia opposed to the
editorial policy Of that japer? This
is question which aroee in many
p1rts Of the country during the re-
cent political campaign. Comments
fajong this line will be OF interest 10
/ readers of The World.
( Il few readers In Berkeley county
have expressed Themselves as oppos-
ed 10 a newspaper printing certain
paid advertisements which were not
III conformity with their personal
views The policy Of this paper has
been to accept political advertise
ments when paid for and published
in compliance with the Corrupt Prac-
tices Acts, Irrespective Of what might
be the views of anyone.
Newspaper A public Carrier.
In doing this "a newspaper acts in
the same capacity as public carrier,
The aane as railroad. express COM
rGny, telegraph company or a gas and
electric company Newspapers are
supported by the public and are pub
Eshed in their interest.
Because of criticisms that were re-
ceived from partisan readers, the New
York World, a Wilson paper, and the
New York Tribune, a Hughes paper,
published editorials on the subject OF
selling advertising space for the pur.
pose Of advancing policies to which
the respective papers were opposed.
The New York World, under the
caption. "The Hughes Advertise
n.ents," said:
"The World has received letters
from many of its friends protesting
against the Republican advertise
uents which appear in it's columns
and oue7t'ouing the journalistic ethics
that permits the publication Of politi-
cal arguments so opposed to the edi-
torial principles of The World.
Journalistic ethics. In our opinion.
is all on the side of publication. The
Word has no moro right TO refuse to
Print these advertisements than It has
TO refuse to print the speeches made
by Mr.. Hughes. We have our own
opinion of the Hughes speeches and
likewise Of the Hughes advertise
merits and we shall continue to dis
cuss them with searching frankness:
out print them we must They are
a part of the record o. the campaign.
If you readers are not intelligent
enough to perceive the hollowness OF
the Hughes speeches advertisements,
our editorial labors havo been in
voin.
I'VE do not believe that any read
ers of The World could be misled for
Il minute by the fallacious arguments
Of Hughes speeches or by the special
privilege economics of the Hughes ad.
vertisements.
The New York Tribune, Republl.
can paper, printed advertisements for
the Democrats. It's readers took 1t
to task for publishing an advertise
ment for Puck advocating the election
OF Mr. Wilson.
Truth Matter OF Opinion.
The Tribune says
There Is still an apparent confu-
cior in the minds of very small err
ceEtage of Tribune readers on the
consistency of printing opinions with
which this papers editorial policy
may not agree. The point Is Just this:
Where truth can be determined we
want only those advertisers whose
advertisements speak the truth
Where the truth Is purely a matter
CT opinion, as it Is in questions of a
political or similar nature, either side
msy present It's case.
There is never any difficulty in
classifying an advertisement on this
principle. If a man advertises a shirt
for - 80 and saws It Is worth $3.50
when it cost him So cents, he is OBJ.
viously q liar. But if he tells you
that your candidate is dangerous
person you tell him that you and he
differ on that point. Listen to the
next political speaker you pass, and
It's an even chance whether he agrees
with the Puck advertisement or not
Then should any right minded news
paper refuse to print both sides? II
30. to be consistent, 1t should bar the
utterances Of the other side from its
news columns too. Unfortunately
there are papers which do both. The
Tribune Is not one of them"
Thus The World leading Demo.
cratic paper, and The Tribune, lead
Ing Republican paper have made their
A9nd oiepr Tyha Wnrld and Tribune