Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-06-14
TIC NEWSPAPER.

The news apcr is probably the
most familiar institution in American
life and alt ough probably ninety per
cent Of the l'eople believe 10 the con-
trarY. there is probably no other in
stitution tha' is less comprchcnsivcly
und.rSto ood.
why. thcr" is nothing 10 learn
about that. cv"ryhody knows il al
rr:td>." WAS II remark that n Young
cull"gr student maGr not long ago to
II mate who declared that h" expect
rd Ia take up the newspaper business.
and that is Tn" common idea.
This idea is as wrong as il is COM
mon. In the whole field of CONNER
cial and professional activity, thcr" is
uu single standard pursuit In" success
act knowledge or ripe experience. And
iur,h,r th"i, is not Il pursuit. tn" sue
cess ui which calls for NOR" persistent
aud consistent application NOR" exact.
r,: mi*inrs$ and professional princi-
pl,.S.
Money alone will not establish Il
successful newspaper, nor will II
hire the qualities necessary To main
tain tn" character and prestige or
such an institution. Statistics show
that more millions have been spent
in New York city in the effort to cs-
taIliAn newspapers than mlv" ever been
Lao. all h.,
ful newspapers III" city has even
known. and the same can hr said oi
tn" country as a whole.
The college student quoted above
Was not an exception. He was we'll
aware of the fact that h" could put
his thoughts in editorial form as well
aS anybody. and he knew also that he
could have these thoughts reproduced
un II printed sheet; hut he forgot that
the public might not he nj all inter-
cSlcd in the things that interested
him. and also he was laborinG under
tn" common ial:,ry that editorials
make newspaper. Like many 9TH
rrs. he was assuming he knew all
about business of which he really
knew absolutely nothing.
Imitation newspapers have always
been more common than newspapers.
and il is true today. There is Il very
marked difference between the real
thing and the imitation: but that diff
ference is more easily demonstrated
than described. Th" public is disposed
10 support a real newspaper: hut IL
rarely accor'is respect 10 the imitation.
The college boys idea OF ncwsp2-
per was Il few pages of sophomore
effort by different students with n few
pages OF advertising donated by in,lul-
gent business people t" pay the en-
prnsc of publication. The idea of the
professional. however. is n reliable
daily or weekly record Of events with
which ii ia necessary TO keep in touch.
and business news which is paid for by
business people because they find il
to their advantage to send their mes
sag,s To the people whose substan-
lldI CIldlutttI IL bN lIltlT Sc
rious interest in current Developments
In the one case il is matter OF light
in the other case il Is the
genuine practical side of life.
But while the business side OF news
newspapering. is al
ways difficult. ii has never been more
difficult than now. This is especially
true Of the commercial side-the life
of the newspaper. The general demor-
alization of commodity values. scarcity
and cost of labor. etc. has operated
with exceptionally oppressive weight
against the newspaper business gener-
ally. and even those who have hereto
fore been able to make their way with
smoothness and ease. are
having no little trouble in adjusting
themselves 10 the changed situation.
II is freely predicted by some of the
most experienced publishers of the
that by the time this war is |
lt an end. there will be less than half !