Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/341

 AN HONEST AND SANE NEWSPAPER PRESS 327

the decline and weakness of their personal "corner" in a variety of ways — by constantly limiting the space for editorial comment, by demanding brevity, lightness, and flippancy of their editorial writers, and by their general indifference to the character and reputation of the page. That some newspapers have deliberately weakened their editorial pages must be admitted, but even in their case, in all probability, the step will lead to no other in the same direction. Their example has not been followed; the best and most influential newspapers have yielded to no alleged "new tend- ency," for they still regard interpretation and comment as their noblest duty and most precious privilege. Besides, where the whole paper editorializes, where every item is colored, there is little need and little opportunity for a strong editorial page. It merely spells repetition and pale reflection of the "freer" and more colloquial style of the correspondents and reporters. It should be borne in mind, too, that the more comprehensive and able the news sections are the less need there is for "quantity" in editorials. There is no particular reason why the purposes served by the "information" editorial, the "light" editorial, the "humorous" editorial should not be served by dispatches and articles of a news character. Has the quality of the editorial section suffered deterioration?

Undoubtedly, at least in many cases. The counting-room is too close to the sanctum; there is too much fear of the big advertiser, too much dread of "making enemies," too much thought of circulation and the danger of offending this or that element. These motives beget sins of commission as well as of omission. Editors pass over subjects they would like to discuss because they anticipate criticism, complaint, withdrawal of patron- age. On the other hand, they occasionally express opinions that are not theirs at all, but the known or supposed opinions of cer- tain interests whose good will is desirable if not essential. Add to this that there are newspapers which serve as the special organs of special interests, of plutocracy, privilege, and monopoly, — newspapers which are not even expected to yield large profits, or any profits at all, since they are mere adjtmcts to speculation, frenzied finance, or grasping, quasi-legal enterprises. From such