The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1917-01-13
THE PROVINCE OF THE NEWS
PAPER.
(By Ford S. Black, publisher, Black S
Blue Book.)

A Frehchman once said: "Suffer
yourself to be blamed, imprisoned, con-
demned; suffer yourself even to be
hanged, but publish your opinions
it is not a right; it is duty" Like
wise, in the early days the newspaper
was little more than a mouthpiece with
which the editor-owner published his
opinions. So the expression of the
political, social and economical beliefs
of great editors like James Gordon
Bennett and Horace Greedy, and Bowles
and Raymond, and Dana and Godkin,
was an important influence in Amer
lean life. For, as Milton said: "Opin-
ion in good men, is but knowledge in
the making" The age in which these
men lived has been called the period
of great leaders in journalism, which
meant great leaders in the thought and
feeling of the day.
But the tendency to abuse such power
has often been present. Daniel Web
SIeI HOIICcu III III 1000 anu cOHueHlHeu
the appointment of editors to public
Iofice as a means of securing their sup
port. Mr.. Webster said: SIN popular
governments a free press is the most
important of all agents and instru-
ments. The conductors of the press in
popular governments occupy place in
the social and political system of the
highest consequence. They wear the
character of public Instructors
In late years, however, there has
been a decline in personal journalism,
and this, we believe is not without
good effect. The newspaper of today
has come to be an organ for the dissem-
ination of news and general inform
alton. The editors opinions stand less
in the large volume of the
news. Only a page is given him, and
he uses two or three columns of this
page, while the other columns are given
to other writer's and to departments
devoted to useful information. Many
people in their quest for the news, over
look the editor altogether, or read his
opinions as casually as they do the rest
of the paper.
Obviously, the chief business of the
is to furnish the news. 1t
also interprets the news and discusses
current issues; gives useful informa-
ton and advice; supplies entertaining
reading; and is an advertising medium.
= Great improvement in newspapers
has been brought about in recent years
which is due mainly to the advance in
Advertising has come to
be an important part of the work of
the newspaper. This, however, has re-
bounded to the good of the public; for
as heavy advertising has brought inan-
cial returns to the publishers, they have
been enabled to increase the quantity
and quality of their news, to add new
features and to give better service in
every respect. So that a good news
source of instruction as well as amuse-
ment and entertainment.
1 can think of no more fitting clos
ing for this subject than the words of
the great Wendell Phillips who,
generation ago, speaking of the i'm
portanee of the newspaper in this
country, said: cit is a momentous.
yes, fearful truth, that millions have
no literature, no schools, almost no pull
pit, but the press. 1t is a parent,
school college, pulpit, theater, example,
all in one. Let me make the
newspaper and care not who makes
the religion or the laws"