Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1919-12-03
AS TO CRITICISMS.

MANY interesting letters have been received by the
Capital journal in response to its request for crit
lclss by readers as to the heading and makeup
the paper AS the judges have awarded the prizes
publication of those adjudged best will be made.
There are few people in the world who do not believe
themselves better quad to run newspaper than those
IN charge OF it. The the street generally knows
more than those who have made life study of the sub
ect This is because the individual the paper solely
from personal viewpoint while the editor sees it from
an mpersona viewpoint average of the viewpoints of
thousands.
The present first page makeup of the Capital jour
MAJ mas aroused more criticism than the change in
head 1t is one however that has proved popular in other
communities and is used by many dominant papers,
Here however, it is innovatonand people of the Will
lamete Valley do not like innovations-they are apt to
resent change of any kind regardless of merit For in
stance region needed good roads more and none fought
them more bitterly
Some like the Old English lettering for the heading
merely because nearly all the papers of this section use it.
Yet Old English is obsolete-if the paper printed in
this type it would be unreadabe 1t is survival from
the OLD time into ours and illustrates how tradition has
shacked the newspaper mind The first newspapers used
1t centuries ago-therefore it should be used today
some suggest the use OF the state seal cenerpiece
ms is because the OregOnian it. and many Oregon
lans take their ideas from the Oregonan as matter of
habit The cut-and-dried sereotyped makeup of this
metropolitan paper by these regarded as the correct
orthodox makeup 1t is the same today 60 years ago.
the same used by the first newspapers the same still in
use IN England. 1t is non-eastic machine like permit
ting no originality individuality and unsuited to an
evening paper However the pioneers might have regard
ed the state seal embmatc work of art can bv no
stretch of the imagination be regarded as thing of
beauty
Some sigh for retention of the capitol in the heading
eyen through the smut of obsolete type Yet our cap
ol like that OF most of the AZ other statesa rather
poor dmlnutve copy of the national capitol nothing dis
ncve or original about itunless it be- the black un-
painted dome which effectually mars it's beauty The
capitol however has been detriment rather than an as
yet to Salem Still others want the supreme court building
included, but nobody has asked for the house vet
Inc criticisms contain many helpful suggestions some
u Whlch VIII be made use Of The Capital journal quite
willing to rhange its heading for more satisfactory one
willing to try new makeup and make other changes to
satisfy It's readers These after all are non-essentia
is the completeness Of news the sincerity in
tegr1ty and pubic service that make newspaper worth
these have escaped criticism
It IS to be hoped that readers of the Capital Journal
Will feel free to write sincere criticisms and suggestions
2 the editor concerning your paper Better service is
ht we are here for Recognizing the futiity of attempt
ing TO please every one in all things we believe that we
'an satisfy everyone in something.