The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-27

ordinary publication The same I'M
iprecedented. fighting, bombasuc eal-
torial spirit which helped throw a
nation into revolution in the early
sos is still found in the editorial
columns of Kansas papers, he as
serted
Gripping and interesting was his
description of the early day newspaper
fight over the slavery question IN
Bleeding Kansas" which resulted in
A national question and fastened the
day when brother shot brother in the
great war of the Rebellion. Today, a
revolution, not of bloodshed, but of
morals is tearing communities in part,
all as a result of the prohibition meas
ure first passed by Kansas, largely
thru the influence of press that
knew no shackles of precedent. And
ultimately, it is predicted, this great
revolution horn in Kansas. thru the in
fluence of its editors will bring about
national prohibition, the same as a
like revolution, aided and abetted by
Kansas editors, put the white and
I black man on an equal plane.
Describes Early Newspapers.
Then. briefly, Mr.. Connelley de-
\ scribe the newspaper of the early days
and Iauded the editorial qualities of
their pioneer editors, remarkable be
cause of the neWness of the state and
the apparent unfruitfulness OF con-
Quoting a newspaper in such sparse
those days.
THE first newspaper established in
the state was the Herald of LeaVen-
worth, famous as having its office
under an elm or cottonwood on the
bank of the Missouri river said Mr..
Connelley. 1T was pro-slaVery. and
as rabid a sheet as was ever printed
i'm any cause The Squatter Sovereign,
VI Atchison, was of the same political
complexion, and fully equal IN its de-
Notion to the Pro-slavery interests and
it's denuncjation of the Free-State
Movement. The LecOmpton Union,
while of a different caliber, was an
Influential paper on the same political
side. These three were the main reli-
a rce of the Pro-Slavery party in the
management of their campaign In the
territory
The Three Lawrence Papers.
! Opposed to these and representing
! the free-Stata side were the Herald
! of Freedom. the Kansas Free State
/ and the Tribune of Lawrence. 1t Is
! doubtful if any embryo city in Amer
! lea. ever had at the same time three
as able papers as these mentioned
| The Influence of the free state
press in territorial times cannot YET
/ be measured We know the great fac
! tor it was in securing Kansas to free
dom. And we know that influence Is
/ still potent in Kansas as the model fol
! present day activities. The Kansas
| press is an institution having its Origin
/ deep in the vital issues of that date
| The manner of treating public ques
tions. the attitude toward public men
! the manner of handling public issue:
in use today in Kansas are only the
development and slight modification
! of those of territorial tines
GIeed on Newspaper of Yesterday
Mr.. G. S. Gleed spoke briefly on the
subject of the newspapers of yester-
| dav. He thought the Kansas papers
! of yesterday, meaning the early Kan
( sas publications, We're OF smaller CIT
culation and less elaborate in the mat
! ter of subjects covered, pictorial illus
trations, etc, than present day papers
But ON the other hand, he though
the early papers eXcelled those o
today in the matter of individuality
independence and pugnacity. In th'
old days the editor considered himself
personally responsible and was so con
sidered by the public for everything
that appeared in his paper. Today l
anything in the paper is dead wront
or stupid or cOwardly some hired maj
is supposed to have perpetrated i
! while the editor is in Europe or OF
a motor trip to New England or il
the oil fields watching his oil we'll
spout. The old editors were almos
universally fighters-with fists, gum
or lead pencils. Mr.. GIeed though
it would be a happy change if editor
would feel a greater personal respon
sibiIity for what appears in their pa
pers pay less attention to the wishe
of candidates for office and other
with axes to grind and in other way
accentuate their authority as teach
ers and leaders of the people.
Better Newspapers Now.
Better balanced newspapers will b.
built from the ruins of the prin
paper shortage" A. J. Carruth, jr.
city editor of the Topeka State Jour
nal, told members of the Kansas Stat,
Editorial association In speaking O
The Newspaper of Today" Mr.. Car
ruth said in part:
ION the theory that every clout
has a silver lining there has been
fortunate issue for the unfortunat
paper situation as it appears befor,
us, ghostlike, this month. The higl
cost of paper and the shortage of tn
supply over the country has enforce,
upon the American daily newspape
of today a badly needed reform.
'In order to appeal to a certain
class of readers, the metropolitan
press of this country in recent year
has printed every Saturday eveninj
and Sunday morning tons of worth
less, overwritten, UNDERGRAD materia
under the guise of human interest
In this frantic attempt to tempt tn
street buyer and the man who scan
the news stands, the papers have bee
: compelled to absolutely throw to tn
winds, pages, departments and Who'll
sections of valuable white paper-o
rather, paper that was once white.
The current paper shortage ha
| awakened publishers to the realiza
ton that the ethics of journalism