The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 2, 1904, Page 11

ANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. PHE -RBSPONSIBILITY -OF - THR by MARIE, CORELLI S L of their a merely al situation under flam- atch the eye ing nations or political hen they engage in this y strife one is irresistibly f the bad child in the nurs- z his two little brothers ., cries out: “Go it, Tom! Jack! Hit him in the eye!” and hen the hit is given and mutual llow, runs to his mother ws—"Ma! Tom and Jack r * with an entire quashing t that he helped to set them when the trouble begins and national recrimina- exchanged, it is cu- how quickly the press on umes the attitude of an One the “How What a Positively, There would be no greater forc i he world as an aid_to >blest purpos: a mighty ship e men at the straight cou deed, and steadily water logged vessel, creaking r- r bob- tain- the pres- Glancing back ism of the past ¢ and Thackeray wrote papers (“there were ) one cannot help b the great deterioration “tone” of the press at a mntrasted with that giants journals then in vogue, such as needs have comp d people think. The vul poetry k at sentiment—w unknown. that the Times a journal where T look in vain for sensationalism ( its advertisements of the v Britannica), but its position is like that of a grim old lion surrounc by cubs of all sizes and ages tHat yap and snap at its whiskers and take lib- erties with its tail. It can be said, how- ever, that all the better, higher clas: periodicals, such as the Mo 3 and the Standard, are in the same tion: the yapping and snapping gc around them precisely in the same way —*“circulation five times as large that of any penny morning journal,” etc. And the question of the circulation of any particular newspaper resolves itself into two points—firstly, the amount of money it puts into the pockets of its proprietors or proprietor, and, secondly, the influence it has or is likely to hav on the manners and morals of the pub- lic. The last is by far the most im- portant matter, though the first is nat- urally the leading motif of its publica- tion. Herein we touch the keynote of responsibility. How and in what way are the majority of people swayed or affected by the statements and opinions of some one man or several men em- ployed on the world’s press? On this point it may perhaps be asked whether any newspaper is really justified in set- ting before readers of all ages and tem- peraments a daily fare of suicides, mur- ders, divorce cases, sudden deaths or abnormal “horrors” of every kind to startle, depress or warp the mind away from a sane and healthful outlook upon life and the things if life in general? A very brilliant and able journalist tells me that “if we don't put these things in we are so deadly dull!” One can but smile at this candid statement of inefficiency. The idea that there can T UPLZLITTLI 77 OF & A Zo S S ively” reading in the sorrowful sickness, crime or mania much room for doubt. And when remembered how powerfully the human mind is affected by suggestion, it is surely worth while inquiring as to whether the newspapers could not manage to offer their readers noble and instructive subjects of thought, rather than merbid and degraded ones. Fortunately for a ses, the bulk of what ma called “magazine litera- ture” mgkes distinctly for the instrue- tion and enlightenment of the public, and though a “gutter press” exists in at Britain, as in America, the pub- I now educated enough to recog- nize its tyve and to treat it with the contempt it merits. I quote here part of a letter which appeared some time ago in the Westminster Gazette, signed O and entitled G D e Editor of the Westminster Sir: We have it on the highest authority that the Government acts on the same information as is at the disposal of ‘the man in the street’ (vide Mr. Balfour at Manches- ter). The man in the street obvios ly must depend on the press for his informatic How has the press served him? “Let me take a recent illustration. A great experiment was to be made by the navy. A battleship with all its tremendous armament was to pound a battleship. Naturally the press was well represented, and the public was eager for its report. “In due course a narrative appeared describing the terrible havoe wrought. The greatest stress was laid upon the instant ignition and complete de- struction by fire of all the woodwork on the doomed ship. Elaborate lead- ing articles appeared enforcing the lesson that wood was no longer a pos- sible material for the accessory fur- niture of a battleship. “A day or two after a quiet answer in the House of Commons from Mr. Goshen informed the limited public who read it that no fire whatever had occurred on the occasion so graph- ically described by the best of press correspondents. “The events dealt with on these oec- casions took place in our own coun- under our own eyes, so If such untrue reports are with the verisimilitude of and detailed personal desc of eye-witnesses, what are we to say of the truth of events occurring at a dis- tance? Special knowledge, speeial expe- rience long-continued, speaking under a sense of responsibility, are set at naught. The regular channels of in- formation are neglected and the con- duct of affairs is based on newspaper reports. Any private business con- ducted and managed on these lines would be immediately ruined. The business of the empire is mo tant, and the results of its mismanage- ment are more serious. For how long will it be possible to continue its man- agement, trusting to the light thrown on events by an irresponsible press?” The “irresponsibility” here complain- ed of comes out perhaps m often and mest glaringly in thos S which profess to chronicle the sayings and doings of Kings and Queens, Prime Ministers and personages more or less well known in the world of art, letters and societ In nine cases out of ten the journalist who reports these say- ings and doings has never set eyes on the peopie about whom he writes with such a free and easy flippancy. Even if he has, his authority to make their conversation public may be questioned. It is surely not too much to ask of the editors of newspapers that they*should, by applying directly to the individuals concerned, ascertain whether such and such a statement made to them is true before giving It currency. A couple of penny stamps expended in private cor- respondence would settle the matter to the satisfaction of bcth parties. “Personalities,” however, would seem to be greatly in vogue. Note the fol- lowing: “At seven o’clock the King left the hotel and walked to the spring to drink more of the water. . Altogether, his Majesty has to drink about a quart of }he water every morning before break- ast. “Standing among the throng, in which every type and nationality of humanity was represented, the King sipped his second pint glass of water. “After drinking the quart of water, 7/ query Wwhether the crow er information as ecially when Sir Gilbert that he had vith that “snobbish” es?)—to Ma; < and titl eir dresses ¢ nan d their physical char Tom, Dick and Harry. is amiable enough them in these little yearnings 2l publicity, let us hope that being worthy of his hire, reward. ould seem that a of the and literature, ) . No lies upon . Since :ople began them- wspaper are concerned, carries little When some particular book 2 great success, we read this thing about it: “In argument, style it captures the fancy the masses without attracting the =st attention from the critical criminating few whose ap- gives any chance of per- to work.” This is, of course, very old hearing. “The criti- cal and discriminating few” in Italy condemned Dante as a “vul- ymer, who used the “people’s vernacular.” Now, the much-abused ne is the great Italian classic. ame critical and discriminating few condemned John Keats, who is enrolled among the chiefest of ish poets. Onslaughts of the bit- nd lives in the hearts and - homes of tHousands for whom the critical and diseriminating few might just as well never have And when vou look up the the *“critical and discrimi- nating ew” in our own day, we find, strange to say, that they are all dis- appointed authoks! All of them have written ms dr novels, which are we must needs pity their and “discrimination” equally, knowing the seeret fount of gall for which both these delicate emotions spring. At the same time the “responsibility” of the press might still be appealed to in literary, dra- matic and artistic matters, as for ex- ample: Why allow an unsuccessful artist to criticize a successful picture? Why ask an unlucky playwright, who cannot get even a farce accepted the managers, to criticize a bril- nt play? Why depute a gentleman or lady who has “essayed” a little unsuccess- ful fiction to "re‘ew a novel which has “captured the fancy of the masses” and is selling well? These be weighty matters. Common human nature is common human na- ture all the world over, and it is not in common human nature to give praise to another for what we ourselves env Every one has not the same fine en- dowment of generosity as Sir Walter Scott, who wrote an anonymous review of Lord Byron's poems, giving them the most enthusiastic praise and frank- ly stating that after the appearance of -PRESS rhymer ¢ condemn I t May it not w apply equally cians, painters, sc vrights?_ Neitr nor versonal lowed to never in course it doesn’t if it is ¢ Tic to the 3 how that love t masses” do with “our n scroll of fa ten!” Dear things them this poor comfort in One cannc days of v and inve ularize daily pr are appa omy for instance. Would it interesting to instruct them and ea s ders of the fill their murder? subject of geogravhy, “educated” persons tion recently, not « situation on the map of seéms to me that the wonders in the way of more than the “bi Books on mce and learning often sadly dull and generally exp sive—the public cannot rd them largely, nor do they ask f. much at the libraries. If the 4 journals made it a rule to give brig picturesque articles on some grand « truths of science or some g discoveries, such a course of would be far more producti than any amount of “short such as we have lately hearc in various quarters. For t really a greater educational force tr the pulpit. In its hands it has t cial molding of a people—th of a nation as represented to tions. There could hardly t a o task—there can certainly never b higher responsibility.