White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-07-12
Letter from City toa Country Editor.
Correspondence Of The Randolph Republican.
New YeAK, April 8, 1860.

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New YeAk, April 8, 1860.
FRIEND FLETCHER: Ihave line from y on
informing me that you are about to start
paper at Sparta, and limiting that q
line from me for its FIRST issue would be
acceptable. Allow me. then. as one who
spent his most hopeful and obseryant
years in a country printing office. and
who sincerely believes that the art Of con-
Quoting country Tor city newspapers has
not yet obtained its ultimate perfection.
to set before you few hints on making
up an interesting and popular gazette for
q rural district like yours.
l. Begin with clear conception that
the subject of deepest interest to an ave-
rage human being is himself; next to that
he is most concerned about his neighbors.
Asia and the Tongo Islands stand long
way after these in his regard. 1t does
seem to me that most country journals
are oblivious as to these vital truths. If
you will, so soon as may be, secure a
wide awake, judicious correspondent in
each village and township Of your coun-
ty-some young lawyer. doctor, clerk in
store, or assistant in a post ofice-who
will promptly send you whatever of mo-
ment occurs in his vicinity, and will
make up at least half your journal Of 10
cal 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 exist
ing, farm be sold, new house be rails
ed, mill be set in motion, store be
opened. nor anything of interest to doz-
en- families occur, without having the
fact duly though briefly chronicled in
your columns. If farmer cuts a big tree,
or grows q mammoth beet, or harvests
bounteous yield of wheat or corn, set
forth the fact as concisely and unexcep-
tionably as possible. In due time, OBJ
tain and print brief historical and sta
tistical account of each township-who
first settled in it, who have been its prom.
inent 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 every thing done in your county that
lis citizens ought to know; and, when
ever farm is sold. try to ascertain what
It brought at previous sales, and how it
has been managed meantime. One year
of this, faithfully followed up, will fix
the value of each farm in the county, and
render it as easily determined as that of
a bushel of corn.
II. Take an earnest and active if not
a leading part in the advancement Of
Home Industry. Do your utmost to pro-
mote 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 a pair of well
made shoes from the one. or good ear
of corn from the other If any one un-
dertakes new branch of industry in the
county. especially if it be a manufacture.
do not wait to be solicited, but hasten to
give him helping hand. Ask the peo-
pie to buy his -four. or starch. or wool
ems. or boots, or whatever may be his
product, if it be good. in preference to
any that may be brought into the county
to compete with him. Encourage and
aid him to the best of your ability. BY
persevering in this course a few years,
you will largely increase the population
Of your county and the value of every acre
Of its SOIL
III. Don't let the politicians and as
pirants of the County own you. They
may be clever 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 official emoluments,
and the consequent rate of taxation 9TH
err than for common schools, as low as
may be. Remember thst-in addition to
the radical righteousness Of the thing
the tax payers take many more papers
than the tax-consumers. IN, a. l-4-..
l would like to say more, but am bu-
sled excessively. That you may deserve
and achieve success is the earnest prayer
of Yours truly, u zesi.7
HORACE, GREELEY.