, I, 117 .
everywhere been on the side of not examining too scrupulously the sources from which news is derived. Schools of journalism
could make no greater contribution to the authoritativeness of the press than the development of the perfect news circle from the opposing forces of speed and reliability . A dead weight that the press is forced to carry is the skepticism
of its readers. Years ago Albany Fonblanque commented as an editor on “ the greatness that never descends to read newspapers.” Roosevelt and Bryan ,only somewhat recently,were both quoted as
saying that the great mass of daily papers had ceased to deserve confidence .39 A person conspicuous in the public eye has recently remarked that outside of baseball scores and stock reports the
general public should no longer believe in the press. 40 “ The wickedness that isn 't so " has been the editorial protest against
such a conception of the press. 41 John Bright was credited with saying that the newspaper should be divided into four compart ments, — " one for truth ; a second for the probable ; a third for the possible ; and a fourth for lies." 42 George Russell seriously inquired, “ How could people, who never read anything but
newspapers, have any genuine knowledge of any subject on earth or much imagination of anything beautifulin the heavens?” 43 The press is justly criticized for making general statements un supported by facts. The critics of the press are equally open to just criticism for making on their part general statements con
cerning the press thatare unsupported by facts, for reversing rule and exception and generalizing from the exception , for bringing sweeping charges against the press unsupported by evidence . The press,the college, the school, the church ,and every institution is open to the charge of failing to attain the ideals of its most
intelligent and most honorable representatives , but it is another matter to bring the indiscriminate charge that all members of
these or other institutions are wilfully negligent of their duties and ever ready to sacrifice honor to gain . 39 “ The New Periodical Virtue,” The Nation ,April 20, 1911, 92 : 392 – 393. 40 The Survey , January 9 , 1915, 33 : 410 - 411. 41 The Independent, September 17, 1903 , 55 : 2240 - 2241.
42 “ The British Newspaper: the Penny Theory and its Solution,” Dublin University Magazine, March , 1863,61: 359- 376. 43 The National Being, p . 5 .
