An Editor With a Conscience
By Editor
EDITORS are not always credited with possessing this element in their constitutional make-up, and particularly some editors of yellow journalism. It is believed, and perhaps justly, that many popular journals cater to a depraved public taste in order to secure popularity and increase the subscription list of their papers. Too often we see advertising of such a character as to indicate all too plainly where the editors, or at least the publishers, of the papers stand with respect to some of the great questions of moral reform, like temperance, social purity, etc., which are being prominently urged upon the people at the present time. The comic picture section is one means by which good taste and high standards of literary excellence are sacrificed to cater to the depraved taste of popular demand. It is refreshing, however, occasionally to see a great newspaper which has some conscience in these matters and is determined from the standpoint of right to eliminate some of these objectionable features. This the Public Ledger of Philadelphia proposes to do. Regarding its future policy with respect to the comic pages the editor says:— The use of the color comic pages in the Sunday Public Ledger has been discontinued. It was concluded that the subject-matter and treatment of the comic illustrated serials exercise a mischievous influence on boys and girls and have demoralizing tendencies. This step was taken in full realization of the fact that these supplements are supposed to have large circulation value. The Public Ledger believes, however, that the substitution of other features of superior quality will have more worthy appeal to the intelligence and good taste of the great mass of its readers. It is the province of a newspaper to undertake to inculcate in its readers appreciation of what is elevating and artistic, rather than merely to seek popularity, and not to encourage the circulation of pictorial or other matter the popularity of which is due more to the obviousness of its appeal than to any inherent merit of its own. The Public Ledger is replacing the comic with other features that will have equal interest as well as superior value. It intends to eliminate journalistic "vaudeville," and substitute therefor something more in keeping with the higher purpose of an enlightened newspaper. If this good example set by the Public Ledger were followed by the other great newspapers of the land, it would do much toward the education of the youth and children in other ways than in paths of crime. That the influence of these pictures is greatly for the making of evil, evidence is not lacking.