The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-02-24
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Newspapers and Editors.

There is no set of institutions more hearth
" abused or more poorly paid than newspa.
pers, no other set of men that We know of
hose time and talents are required by the
public without compensation. They are ex.
pected to furnish forth for the public the best
of entertainments and wnen the bill for it is
presented they are coolly told that they have
been patronized and that ought to be quite
enough.
A discerning public is disgus,ed if Ver-
mont paperis not equal to the London Times
and does not employ corps of reporters
as well as "our artist" in every European
war, and at every John Brown raid and hang
ing.
An equally discerning public is equally
disgusted if their country paper is not equal
in literary excellence to the Home Journal
in political excellence to the best New York
papers and in artistic excellence to Harper
or Bonner.
And this is not all, the journals of our
State to meet their appreciation must be ra'
,her lower in price than those of the cities
and are required to be far more various.-
They must of course, have few lengthy
moral articles-a fair quantity Of politics.
sprinkling of broad good humor-an abun'
dance of thrilling tales-excelIent wholesale
and retail market rcports-some first rate
poetic articles-tull congressional and legis
la,iye reports-a!l matters Of local interest
ard great many Of them, too, whether
there ale an! or not, in addition to plague
pes,ience and famine, battle, murder and
sudden dca,h-while rot few feel some
what dissatisfied if complete record of al
, births in the state is not given, together with
the oilths in the families of the prncipa
people in other states and foreign countries
and among the absent number of our friends
and families.
Some, indeed almost all, nhate a little ir
these particulars, but no one papers subscri
bers aba,e one jot or title on this bill Of
fare
Now it can't be done with any tolerabls
degree Of proprit,y, and least of all ~i,hou
even pay for what is done.
These men who require so much neve
have the least idea of paying for it all or fo
'ythe of it. If they come to you with al
advertisement they wan: i, inserted as al
editorial. You must record their marriage
for nothing. even if YOU wanted 10 MARI,
the woman they have got. You must inser
their deaths gratis even though you hope'
and prayed they would pay YOU that small
bill before they departed for that bourne Il
which so many carry unpaid newspape
bills. In one day you must puff an unfi
marriage, a patent churn, big turnip.
poor book, bad politician, dull preacher
an ugly woman, and worst of all the charae
ter of one who has happily released tn
community from constant vigilance and un
easiness by making the only visit the neigh
bors ever hoped to see him make, one to III
next world.
But the presents. Why, aye, there ed
tors are indeed we'll off. Half pint OF
Strawberries is expected to draw column
of puffs. A free ride on a read or boat
too often expected to be paid for by a dc
fence of every action of all on the line.
free dinner or ball ticket is to draw a costl
advertisement beforehand, and more costl
puff after.
Gentlemen, if you want good papers, er
courage them. You can buy papers cheap
er in New York, and so YOU can oysters
But oysters are more of luxury here. S
ought your papers to be. They are your
they de, ote themselves to your interests
fight your battles, advertise your want.
your works, your worth. They check you
follies and repress your crimes, and j
short, miserable paper here is worth t
you more than good one in New York
just as club in your hands here is wort
more for defence than is a sword in Me-
York.
But to make papers, encourage them.-
Plant the Seed Put down your none,
Advertise Don't ask unpaid for paper!
Strive to support, not to undermine then
Do you do it? Let your counties do it
and tell your legislators that they who al
there were elected by these papers gratis
) that half of those who vote to reduce prin
ing fees have not paid for printing thei
tickets. and that nine-tenths Of them hav
now unpaid printers bills in their posse:
sion.
And now, seriously, you have among 20
all the elements for the best papers o
want. Vermont editors will bear compariso