Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1860-07-12
Correspondence Of the Randolph Republican
COUNTRY JOURNALISM.
New York. April 3. |

New YORK, April 8, 1860.
FRIEND FLErcHER:-I have line from
you informing ME that you are about to start
paper at Sparta, and limiting that line
from me for its first issue would be accepta-
BILE. Allow me, then, as one who spent his
most hopeful and observant years in coun-
try printing office, and who sincerely believes
that the art of conducting country (or city,
newspapers has not yet obtained its ulti-
mate perfection, to set before you few
hints on making up an interesting and popu-
lar gazette for rural district like yours.
l. Begin with clear conception that
the subject of deepest interest to an average
human being is himself; next to that, be is
most concerned. about his rrsighborss Asia
and the 'Tongo Islands stand. a long way af-
ter these in his regard. 1t does seem to
me that most country journals are oblIyious
as to these vital truths. If you will, so soon
as may be, secure wide-awake, judicious
correspondent in each village and township
Of your county-some young lawyer, doctor,
clerk in store, or assistant in a post-ofice
WHO will promptly send you whatever of
moment occurs in his vicinity, and will make
up at least half your journal of local matter
thus collected, nobody in the county can long
do without it. Do not let new church be
organized, or new members be added to one
already existing, a farm be sold, new
house be raised, mill be set in motion,
store be opened, nor anything of interest to
dozen families occur, without having the
fact duly though briefly chronicled in your
columns. If a farmer cuts big tree, or
grows mammoth beet, or harvests boun-
teous yield of wheat or corn, set forth the
fact as concisely and unexceptionably as pos
sible. In due time, obtain and print brief
historical and statistical account of each
township first settled in it, who have
been it's prominent citizens, who attained
advanced years therein, &c. Record every
birth as well as every marriage and DEATH
In short, make your paper perfect mirror
of everything done in your county that its
citizens ought to know; and, whenever
farm Is sold. try to ascertain what it brought
al previous sales, and how it has been man
aged meantime. One year of this, faithful
ly followed up, will fix the value Of each
farm in the county, and render it as easily
determined as that of bushel of corn.
g. Take an earnest aud active if not O
leading part in the advancement of Home
Industry. Do your utmost to promote not
only an annual County Fair, but Town
Fairs as well. Persuade each farmer and
mechanic to send something to such Fairs,
though it be pair of well-made shoes from
the one, Or good ear Of corn from the 9TH
er. If any one undertakes new branch of
industry in the county, especially if it be
manufacture, do not wait to be solicited, but
hasten to give him helping hand. Ask the
people to buy his -four, or starch, or woolens,
or boots, or whatever may be his product, if
it be good, in preference to any that may he
brought into the county to compete with
him. Encourage and aid him to the best of
your ability. BY preserving in this course a
few years, You will largely increase the pop
ulation of your county and the value Of ev-
cry acre of its soil.
8. Don't let the politicians and aspirants
of the County own you. They may be clev-
err fellows, as they often are; but, if you
keep your eyes open, You will see something
that they seem blind to, and must speak out
accordingly. Do your best to keep the
number of public trusts, the amount Of off
cial emoluments, and the consequent rate Of
taxation other than for common schools, as
may be. Remember that-in addition to
the radical Righteousness of the thing-the
taxpayers take many more papers than the
taX-consumers.
would like to say more, but am busted
excessively. That you may deserve and
achieve success is the earnest prayer of
Yours, truly, HORACE GrEELEY.
/ Tribune Office, New York.