The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1919-08-29
REAL VALUE
OF COUNTRY
NEWSPAPER
Views Of Professor OF Journalism,
Ohio State University, On Com
munity Publications
NEED SANITY AND GOOD WILL

respondents and special writers of the
Westerville Public Opinion, held there
.. c. Hopper, professor of pournaI-
ism at Ohio State university. at Cal
umbus, gave talk on the Real
Value OF the Country Paper" sNr.
Hooper said:
There is in all this world no great
er opportunity for service than that
, of the newspaper. Cars, emperOrs,
sultans and other absolute mOnarchs
have been driven from their thrones.
A few kings may linger for spectacu-
lar or sentimental reasons, but they
. will have no other meaning in human
affairs. The reign of the people has
come. Government is to be hereafter
!. b. public opinion, and there is no
maker Of public opinion like the news
. paper. 1t is in the power of the news
papers to eXalt or to degrade public
opinion; to promote or retard the
good in the world. They could never
destroy it, for it is inconceivable that
they should be, at any one time, all in
evil hands. But they can, by their pow
er disseminate truth or falsehood. as
world to greater things.
; And there is no instrumentaliay
anywhere like them in the possession
and exercis fthis power. For every
thousand of circulation. newspaper
speaks to four or five thousand per-
sons.
It is true that more people are now
thinking for themselves than ever be-
fore; and it is TO be hoped that the
progress to Independent thought VIII
- ntinue. But what a multitude of
persons who call themselves indie
pendent thinkers get the basis for
heir thinkinei from the newspapers.
They read statements, they receive
impressions and they form their con-
cIusions Some perhaps reform their
conclusions on better and later and
more substantial statement of facts,
but it is certain that not all will do
so. If they have received the poison
} of untruth, they will act accordingly,
o. fai, &c act. ts the case may be. q
drop of ink may make millions think.
How important, then, that the ink
shall have in it. not falsehOOd and
hate, buth the truth and good will.
Power of Press Not Declining
There has been some effort to show
that the power of the press is declin-
ing. 1t is not declining; it is increas-
ing. 1t is growing because the scope of
its information is widening and it is
offering much in every field of hu-
man endeaveor. And it is on informa-
ition that public opinion sits, ruler OF
the world. The old editor who Will
fled and exhorted and drove his own
Judgment into the heads of his read
lers with a sledge is gone.He is an au-
.tocrct like the rest. There has come a
new editor who, if he is true to his
nigh calling, tells the truth unbiased
offers his Interpretation of the news,
Invites the Interpretation of others,
tyuides the discussion fairly to the
.end, and unselfishly hopes that right
and truth will ultimately prevail, what
ever they may be. !
That is supreme good in a demo-
chacy, and l repeat that there is no
greater opportunity for service than
that of the newspaper. 1t has not al
ways been improved, and it has been
sometimes very unhappily unused. !
SO much for newspapers in gen.
eral. Let us now see what is the op-
'portunity of the country newspaper.
or as / prefer to- call it, the commun-
tty newspaper. The country weekly
las a field and function that are as
stefinite and certain as those of any
k,ther. It's field is the community,
reaching out into and perhaps cover
fag the county, and its function is to
cell of the dOings of the people liv-
ing within it; to discuss the questions
of local interest, and to invite discus
sion; TO tell Of progress in similar com
enunities and to suggest similar pro-
kress at home. to interview people
Evho are progressive and to make the
Ssnprogre8sive think; to support good
government regardless of party; to
Aoost uniformity and never to do a
Sknock," even on rival.
Value Is Inestimable
This is intensive lism, and it
S not always easy, for many cOmmun-
Ties are prone to drOne away the
years. But it is the way to success and /;
It is the way to service-the only !
thing in life that makes men and
stomen love while they are here and
semember after they are gone. The {
yalue of such paper to the commun-
by is inestimable 1t is the value of
seing aliye, seeing all things, consid-
ring all things. It is the value of {
fiendly counsel about the needs of
he community and the possibility of {
living conditions. 1t is the S
,alue of neighborliness, Of knowing |
kho's in distress and who's happy and I
rhere kindly word or helping hand {
aay be given, or cheer or congratula-
ION may be offered. The value of a
newspaper is such that it
hould have the patronage OF every g