you.

"To begin with, I want to say that nobody is going to get fired, with
the possible exception of several men from the advertising department,
the reason for which will appear later. The first question that Mr.
Bassett put to me was about the policy of the new paper, and I replied
that there wouldn't be any policy. All we have is a purpose, and that
purpose is, in one single word, to tell all the truth all the time.

"We haven't any axes to grind. And there's only one boss. For the first
time in your lives, I guess, you can write the truth without being
afraid of stepping on somebody's toes. From now on, the business office
gives no orders. And if the advertising department can't sell space
without editorial influence thrown in, then we'll get a new advertising
department or do without advertising. Instead of looking at every story
with your mind on 'who will it hurt,' from now on I want you to look at
every story with your mind on 'who will it help--or _what_.' You boys
have a chance to run the kind of a newspaper that every newspaper man
wants to run. It's up to you to make it or break it." Good's voice broke
a little and he turned away. There was silence for a moment. Then a
cheer shook the room. When it subsided, Bassett's dry voice was heard.

"Kindly don't overlook the fact, gentlemen, that we put the paper to bed
to-night as usual. You can celebrate when that's done." Then he turned
to Good.

"Come back in my office, will you, Mr. Good. There are a few questions I
want to ask you."

"Cut out the 'Mister,' Bassett. I'm just one of the staff. I don't own
anything, you know."

"That goes with me," said Bassett, "but look out I don't call you
something worse. I've got a bad temper."

"Well," laughed Good, "I'm bigger than you." They went into Bassett's
private office.

"What I want to get at," said the latter perplexedly, after they were
seated, "is what line of thought you intend to follow. What angles do
you mean to push?"

"You don't understand," said Good patiently, "all we want is the truth."

"Oh, fiddlesticks," cried Bassett impatiently. "That's fine for a
rights-of-man declaration, but we're running a newspaper. You've got to
have balance. What's true and interesting and desirable to one class of
people isn't to another. What kind of people do you intend to cater to?"

"I see," said Good. He was silent for a moment. "I guess we want to
print," he said finally, "what's true to _most_ people.