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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1925)
r THE DAILY N EUR ASK AN Texts of Journalists9 Addresses Continued from Pge Three.) XT more than thirty yean or uninterrupted ownership and editor tip or a country weekly newspaper ith a connection of some years as " side line with an Incorporated weekly publication doing a state-wide and twelve years of connec ST." pother sideline with a small leorporated dally newspaper, It Is my de iberate Judgment that few vocations nromise better financial reward or nre pleasure than the ownership and Storshlpof a well located county neUpsper. weekly or daily. The man .ring ed"or or a great New York dally JUper told me In his office not Le ago it had been the ambition of 1 life to own and edit a small news 'per That ambition can be achieved L the average Journalism student, .nd the word Btnall should be con strued from the New York point 61 Editorial l. Soul of Paper. "In a spiritual sense the editorial .age of a newspaper is its soul. In a material sense the editorial page is its backbone. Everything about a news mti be largely determined by n examination of the regular product appearing on its editorial page. me editorial page is strong or weak; brll ion nr dull: conservative or radical; III" - clean or indecent; positive or non committal: optimistic or1 pessimistic; Inspiring or depressing; snappy or prolix ; practical or frivolous; fair or abusive; Independent or ituckhhs, m f lnadership or operating without a compass and a guiding star, no matter what, It affords a gauge toy wnicn 10 iiirtee the whole newspaper. "The character of the editorial page even reflects the business manage- mont. or the reverse, as the case may be. Theorists and ldealfsts Insist that we must separate the business manage ment from the editorial policy but the workers in both departments get their checks from the same cashier. It is sentimental nonsense to belittle the importance of the business manage ment of a newspaper. Unless that is (.mind the whole structure is weak and Us efforts are Inefficient and unavail ing. What To Include? "What to write about editorially? In the United States there are one hundred and twelve million people who must be fed, clothed, housed, educated kingdom of heaven. There are always i n thniiaanri intorpstlner thinea to write, c - about. If I were to pass an opinion it would be that you are here to learn hin tn wrlfA rather than tO be mUCh " . , concerned about things to write about. Tnruung ioiic no w ju constantly stare you In the face. '"-'. - - "Vnur rsarilni? hR fltlOWn VOU that - -ci - .. i . 1 n n n wttn d Knn t mere are inoue uu itio afmnlo thlnfm And TTldVP VOU tO tearS " " " 1' 1 " - r" ' or la lighter; those who can write al,out me mysteries w oticuw them clear to your understanding; those who can stir you with patriotic fire and lead you to the supreme sac- n fAM ah. nAimtpv'a aalrA thflRe 1 mi c iui jwm vwu.ti.. j a . who can write of the homely virtues of the fireside and move your soul with tender recollections; those who can fire your ambition and hurl you into the struggle for great achievement; those who can make you to lie down In green pastures and lead you beside the still waters. Be one of those and tbou shalt fear not. "Let it be said of you that there has been bred in yolx an Impatience of dullness and diffuse thinking, a pre cise sense of word values, a scorn of prigglshness and superciliousness, power to proceed straight to the core of a subject and utter measured thoughts with vigor and beauty. "It we may concede that the min ister and the professional teacher shall be accounted first In each community in carrying the light of understanding to the mind and spirit of the people we can claim place near them for (he editor who is as high minded and sin cere and as well trained as they. He lacks the close personal contact of the priest and the educator but he "has a much wider field and possibly as atten tive an audience. In a way the editor is not pcld to do good, or to be an instructor. His mission Is supposed to be principally to gather, publish and interp;t the news, but In so doing lies all of the difference between evil and good. "Tht highest achievement of an edi tor Is to make plain and desirable the high things of life, to inform those needing Information, to. cheer the downcast, to refresh the weary, to In spire the discouraged, to shame the sordid, to thwart the oppressor, to en noble labor, to beautify the drab, to make righteousness readable. Fashion your editorial page after that manner, back it with sound business discretion, -" O1 ooister it witn unflagging aeai, mine of your labor a thing of Joy and all will be well." may. I believe It la my duty as a COUNTRY NEWSPAPERING country editor to study the people of A WOMAN'S OPPOR- town and country and to sell them to TUNITY FOR SERVICE. one another; In other words, to brTng By Mrs. Mtri Woekee, them together and to teach them to Editor of The Norfolk Press and like each other. Not long ago our President of the Nebraska Press little newspaper, The Norfolk Press, Association. was paid a real compliment by one of Nebraska's outstanding publishers "I regard you as a privileged people, when he told me he thought the peo you student of the school of Journal- pie of Madison county nwe than nan ism. University of Nebraska, and In ally harmonious and progressive and my humble way I hope I may be able he said he felt the Norfolk Press had to Impress yon with the responsibility helped to that end. I feel It Is a I feel you owe for the privileges that newspaper's duty to create a friendly M yours. sentiment that will cause the farmer "You are preparing ysurselvea for a folks to feel the town is their town, means of service to lb) human kind as K is and should be, and too, that tion which there is none broader, finer, more truly worth while. 1 can't remember the time when I did not want to write, to edit a newspaper, Dut l am not have the opportunity of training that is yours in such abund ance here . In the almost twentv-one years that I have been working at newspaperlng I have had to provide my own laboratory and work out my own theories, often false ones, often bumping my head and hurtlnir my heart and the heads and hearts of those about me, and only because I did not know how. I like the state ment of Professor Dleyer. director of journalism In the University of Wis consin and I am sure your own direc tor. Professor Fogg, endorses it: 'The success of our democratic form of gov ernment depends on sound public opin ion, which is the composite of indi vidual private opinions. Individual citizens form their opinions largely If not entirely on the basis of the news that they read In the newspapers. It is even more Important to the state that the newspaper men and women who gather, write and edit the news be well informed and well trained for their work, than that lawyers and doc tors be Qualified to practice their pro fessions.' I do not agree with the Wis consin director 'that the profession of journalism suffers In comparison with that of medicine or the bar,' nor do I yield as does he to these other pro fessions in the matter fot professional standards and codes of ethics. But these are themes for other stories Your director has asked me to talk to you about "Country Newspaperlng, a Woman's Opportunity for Service." an opportunity that is as broad as society as high as the finest principle ever ex pounded as governmental aim. And because of the scope of newspaper service, it is fitting and necessary that you who wish to follow this form of service shall make adequate prepara tlon here; preparation that will fit you to be servants of the public good; judges of the public mind; treasure- keepers of literary values; explorers of unknown seas; travelers In unex plored lands; analyzers of the social forces; diplomats, statesmen, econ omists, salesmen, censors, manufactur ers, wholesalers and retailers. You must be all of these things and more if you would serve humanity as the editor of a country newspaper. Mutt Have Nm for Newt. II U U 111 Un L UHo a uvdo iui .- " " You must be a leader of the people; 'You must have a nose for news dlplomat) a photographer of things j i, . m.iot Yi n imuru tta aa scuu, J un ixtuoi " ROOd descrlptlve writer; you must know how t0 edit tne news; write edl- . ,, ,! v. 4J. .nnncrK iWittl uuiuuiQUlt miu. w juwfto "--""n" Qf your communty to know what to Wrlte and when; you must create uews, an v ri Lining, auu oen -'1LJ" -" . ,or.o,.,, onri salt news, advertising and sell them both; UIHUUmtlUlO JUUl UL " mniiv.i U .. " " - I . .... . J tnen). an(li doing all tnese tnwgs anu , nn4lAA Iiqva vnnr rnm- II1UIO, UV DHU3UCU W w jv j munuy regard you as mere country editors tne nrst renows sougm wneu the rea(jer8 need help and the last tQ be tj,an::ed after the service has been rendered. But you have it in your . . . . it.., 1... T 1 nanus to maite mai mot yioimo painted for you different; and I charge you with the responsibility that you do make it different; that you re-create journalistic genius until it again shines with Greeleys, Danas, Medills, Gordon Bennetts, Relds, Pulitzers yes, and Edward Rose waters! "I have no sympathy with that great French senator-editor Dupuy of 'The Little Paris,' despite the fact that his 2,000,000 circulation makes him an au thority, I say I have no sympathy with his principle of journalism, that leader ship of the people Is not a newspaper function. He charges that newspaper personality Is a mistake; that a news paper's purpose Is to explain and edu cate but never to lead. I prefer the newspaper with an individuality all its own; a newspaper whose news paegs no less than its editorials express the editor's individuality, where the 'style is the man' and where the readers come to know the personality of the writer. I can still hear my good ratner telling of the Civil War days when en tire communities gathered at the cross roads store and waited eagerly for tne arrival of the New York Tribune 'to see what old Horace has to say.' I would not trade a circulation of 1,000 like that for ten times that number of these that have to have Jiggs and Maggie, interviews with Jazz queens who murder their mothers, and the other 'feature dope' that are called clr- ulatlon-bullders today. You have ob served I am a country editor who Is accustomed to express a free and un trammeled opinion of things? Am I wrong? You may have decided I am. That is your American right. Individualism of Paper. "I am not much of a believer In newspaper standardization, in regula I UfJW Uon i am an individualist and I be- lleve every community has Its own I problems, Its own peculiarities that the editor must work out as best he the people In town realize the town does not end with the corporation limits but includes the people of all the farms around. The Press publishes much farm news for this reason ana would publish more were it easier for us to get It. The farm agent's letter gets just as much attention as that of our congressman and the crop news of Farmer Smith looks JUBt as Im portant to us as the building program of some big Industry. I have been criticised for stressing the need of gov ernmental attention to farm-marketing problems. I have never apologized for my belief that agriculture is my state's most important industry; the farmers the real producers whose place Is so fundamental as to Influence and con trol all other Industries, every other producer. "President Coolidge very recently said in an address before the Asso ciated Press: 'One newspaper is bet- Rudge Guensel Co. We nrice i ter than many criminal laws. One schoolmaster Is better than a legion of bailiffs. One clergyman than an army with banners. These are our guarantees of Internal peace and pro gress.' Readers Are Ruling CUu. "Professor Danihy, dean of Journal Ism at Marauette University, Milwau kee, says: 'The readers of the news papers are the ruling class In a free country. They are to a great extent too busy to seek the lessons of life in the living; the editor is an expert in this way. The ruling class, the common people, for the common peo ple are the ruling class, even If they fall so often td exercise their sover eignty, call on the editor. Just as the heads of a great corporation call upon the heads of the purchasing depart ment, the producing department, the sales department, to give them data regarding the proposed ventures; and Rudge & Guensel C . A DEMONSTRATION! ewant every man in town to know about thisremarkablevalue-giving treat Men's Spring Suits of Virgin Wool designed and tailored by the Kirschbaum craftsmen If there ever was an occasion when a clothing store had something extra ordinary to offer its customers this is the occasion ! Not in ten years have we been in a position to offer so much all-around clothing qualitv at a - M del 4 so decidedlv moderate These are the prominent facts: New, stylish spring suits, tailored of pure virgin wool fabrics, (Note that we don't merely say all wool) These fabrics are made from the pure original wool not reworked wools nor shod- clies not woolens that have been "doctored" nor remade from old cloth. You can tell the difference the moment you see the garments the rich fabrics have life lustre class! And the difference will be observed in wear. These fabrics are wear -resisting they'll give long, satisfying service. Virgin wool fabrics combined with the season's favors! styles and the superb tailoring of the Kirschbaum experts, present sui that look the part of suits that ordinarily sell for twice the pries. It is a distinguished achievement to be able to offer men and young men so much quality at $38 The from the study of the reports deter mine to undertake or abandon the pro ject. Let us fix firmly in our minds: the public, the citizen, the man lu the office, the shop, the factory, the store, have It In their power to direct the activities of the country, to control Its destinies, to determine its chara'Eler. And this nubile Is the employer, the real boss of the editorial writer, stand ing above and behind the managing editor, the publisher, the corporation. The public may be, at times, a very easy boss, lax In asserting its author ity, thus leaving the door open to all kinds of abuses. But this in no way excuses the employe.' "I have a passion for democracy, the rule of the people, and I am laughed at for what is called empty Idealism. But Is it and will it always be empty idealism? Truth is the basis of all correct Journalism. To go beyond the truth Is a betrayal of trust Rudge A Guenzel Co. oj(d) Giaemzel Store for SMen on To suppress the truth when it belongs to the people is always to be con demned. With the truth before them I have faith to believe the majority of the people will make sane judgments. "It was a noted Frenchman who wrote, 'Suffer yourself to be blamed. Imprisoned, condemned; suffer your self even to be hanged, but publish your opinion. It is not a right, It is a duty." Someone has well said: 'The high est art in the newspaper business is to Klve the readers what they should have in such a way that they will think It Is exactly what they want.' Mutt Better Conditions. "No editor has the right to say 'we must give the people what they want to read.' Ours Is a profession, not a mere business. We are above the plane of peddlers. We must give these readers better things than they want because we want them to become bet I Rudge A Guenzel Co. Fabrics N Street Co. ter men and women than they are. We represent one of the most powerful agencies tn American public life. We preach to people who never enter a church. We teach folks who are de nied the opportunity of school and uni versity. We make the mental food upon which men's and women's souls are fed and healed. It is our duty to accept the responsibilities of leader ship. It is our duty to make our readers' Interests broader, their world wider, their tastes appreciative of the finer things in life. Unless our news papers do this our dreams of demo cracy will never be realized. "It seems to me there Is no profes sion or business offering so big a field for service as that of the newupaper. Did you ever stop to think that even the country weekly with its thousand circulation has approximately five (Continued on Page Five.) Rudge & Guenzel Co.