The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-26
EDITORS HERE


(COnt1nueu fEOHl 1 OA-S-g
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 MT:
Connelley. 1T was pro-slavery ana
as rabid sheet as was ever printeu
in any cause. The Squatter sovereign;
at Atchison, was of the same political
complexion. and fully equal in its de-
votion to the Pro-slavery interests and
it's denuneiation of the Free-State
Movement. The Lecompton Union,
while of a different caliber, was an
influential paper on the same poilticai
side. These three were the main reh-
ance 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-state 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
Dress in territorial times cannot yet
be measured We know the great fac
tor IL was in securing Kansas to free
dom. And we know that influence is
still potent in Kansas as the mooel Tor
present day activities. Ihe Kansas
press is an institution having its origin
deem in the Vital ISSUE VI NiAehS 49,.
The manner of treating public ques-
tions. the attitude toward public men,
the manner of handling public issues
in use today in Kansas are only the
deveIoDment and slight modification
of those of territorial times
GIeed on Newspaper of Yesterday
Mr. G. 6. Gleed spoke briefly on the
subject of the newspapers OF yester-
dav. He thought the kansas papers
of yesterday, meaning the carry ha d..l
sas notifications, were OF Smaller clI :
cuIation and less elaborate in the mat
fer of subjects covered, pictorial MUS
trations. etc, than present day papers.
But on the other hand, ne thouShe
the early papers eXcelled those Oh
today in the matter OF lnoiNluuailtS D.
indenendence and pugnacity- In the
old davs the editor considered himseit
personally responsible and was SO con-
sidered by the public for everything
that appeared in his paper. Ioday II
ANYTHING in the paper IS deau WrolS
or stupid or cowardly some hlreu man
is supposed to have perpetrated II
while the editor is in Europe or on
a motor trip to New England or IN
the oil fields watching his oil wells
sDout The old editors were almost
universally fighters-With flsts, guns
or lead pencils. Mr.. Gleed thought
it would be happy change If editors
would 1eel q SI6dl0t Pc Spiiee-
sibility for what appears in their pa =
Ders. nav less attention to the wishes
of candidates for office and others
with axes to grind and in other ways
acceptuate their authority as teach-
ers and leaders of the people
Better Newspapers Now.
Better balanced newspapers will be
built from the ruins of the print
paper shortage" A. J. Carruth, jr.,
city editor of the Topeka State jour
nal, told members of the Kansas State
Editorial association. In speaking OF
The Newspaper of Today" Mr.. Car
ruth said i'll part:
has a silver lining there has been a
fortunate issue for the unfortunate
paper situation as it appears before
us, ghostlike, this month. The high
cost of paper and the shortage of the
supply over the country has enforced
upon the American daily newspaper
of today a badly needed reform.
ain order to appeal to a certain
class of readers, the metropolitan
press of this country in recent years
has printed every Saturday evening
and Sunday morning tons of worth
less, overwritten, UNDERGRAD materia
under the guise of human interest.
In this frantic attempt to tempt the
street buyer and the man who scans
the news stands, the papers have beer
compelled to absolutely throw to the
winds, pages. departments and whole
sections of valuable white paper-ol
I rather, paper that was once white.
The current paper shortage ha.
I awakened publishers to the realiza
| ton that the ethics of journalism
were being warped gradually but con
sistently to the recognition of the en-
larged, engorged and endured news
paper. 1t was becoming an expen
sive and enslaved custom Higher
priced paper is the only serum tina
could break up the fever 1t has don,
it and with it, it is hoped, comes
vaccination against attacks of the flu
ture.
Better balanced newspapers, cas-
Ter and quicker read newspa pers
cleaner and snapper written news
papers, condensed, abridged, improv
ed, appreciated and more CAREFUL
edited newspapers will be built from
the ruins of the paper shortage"
Drew Mclaughlin On Ads.
Under the topic, How to Secur
| Foreign Advertising" Drew McLaugh
lin, of the Hiawatha World said: "a
made a statement that rustling TO
| foreign advertising is the biggest fac
tor in securing it. L would qualif
that. Getting subscribers and know
ing subscribers is the real factor. TIL
subscription list is the foundation o
all the newspaper business. 1t is tn
1 principal part of securing any kind o
business. The better one knows hi
| subscription list, the way in whicI
subscribers receive his paper, the wa
the territory is served and whethe
subscribers read advertisements an