Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-07-03
COUNTRY NEWSPAPERS.

The Round Table has been reviewing
with discriminating intelligence and spir-
it, the various classes of newspapers in
America OF the country papers it says:
"'rhe proper sphere of such publications
is not difficult to determine. They should
give full accounts of all local events
county courts, public meetings. village
societies, crops. improvements of all kinds,
new roads, new houses built. all transac.
tions in real estate-such accounts as
shall enable their absent readers to kesp
fresh their knowledge Of the condition Of
their homes. and shall suffice to acquaint
curious strangers With the resources and
enterprise of places they have never seen.
Beyond this they shoull keep their home
readers nu fat in matters Of state inter-
est-public institutions and public works
legislative and political proceedings, pres
ent aud. prospective, the subjects of at
tention in the various towns and sections
Of the state. They should further. in
their capacity of family p'pers, provide
market news for the farmer, and for them,
their wives and children, general reading
juaiciously apportionsd between the in
structive and the amusing, neither becom-
ing too heavy for their patience. nor .des-
cending to the sensationaism of the fash
weeklies or the records of crime of the
police gazettes. Finally--for the limits
Of country journals will not admit, nor do
the wants of people who read none others
require exhaustive news details--an ac
count should be given Of the leading
events Of the day in as condensed form
as is compatible with clearness and accu.
racy. say to the extent of one or two col
unns each week. not of disconnected
scraps, but Of coherent narrative without
o)mment ..~
The editor of the country paper can
command success by giving his paper
sufficient excellence. Let him, by Study
ing good models apd Using Ills space to
the best advantage in the manner we have
indicated earlier in this article. render
his paper necessity to the people of the
region in which it is published. Thus it
will secure sure local circulation in ev-
cry family Of its region. which must be
followed 81, remunerative advertising and
consequent Independence. But the prac.
iical obstacles to such course are very
great and very numerous. They are due
primarily to the same excessive multipli
cation which we noted as the cause of the
feebleness Of the Episcopal press. The
excessive competition of a half a dozen
newspapers struggling for a livelihood
wherever there is room for one has de
moralized editors, advertisers, and the
public alike. If the editor makes
stand for what is his due, recourse is had
to rivals ready to uuipdsrbid him by what.
ever means If he demands proper pay
ment for his advertising it is taken to
some one who will do it cheaper. and he
is left with aaonc ;if he declines. to have
his duties Interrupted by every gossiping
lounger it is attributed to haute,sr, and
his popularity and that of his journal is
destroyed; i he demands prompt pay
ment it is taken ID dudgeon if he pur-
sues an Independent course in any local
or general issue there is detection
among his readers to sheet Of less prin-
ciplc and more ready Of compliance; if
he refuses to lend his own to venal purpo-
ses hundred expedients can be employed
to break it down or exalt its rival. This
state Of things has tended inevitably to
the dsssrioration Of the country press and
OF the class of men who are willing to
work Upon it, .'i sa
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