Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-06-26
Country Newspapers.

The Round TaJle has been reviewing
with discriminating intelligence and spirit,
the various classes ofnewspapers in Ameri-
ca. OF the country papers it SAYS:
The proper sphere OF such publications
Is not difficult to determine. They should
give ful. accounts of all local events-county
courts. public meetings. village societies.
crops. improvements all kinds, new roads,
new houses built, all transactions in real
e.tate-9uch accounts a. shall enable their
absent readers to keep fresh their knowl-
edre 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
should keep their home readers an tait In
matters ot state interest-pubic iu>titu-
tions ami public works, Legislative AMI po-
liticai proceedings. Improvements. present
and prospe, tiye. the subjects OF attention IN
the various towns and sections OF the state.
They should further, in their capacity OF
family papers. provide market news for the
farmer. and for them. their wives and chill
dreu. general reading judiclousIy appor-
toned between the instructive and the
amusing. neither becoming too heavy Tor
their patience. nor descending to the eensa-
tiouali~m of the flash weeklie> or the rec
ord- of crime OF the police gazettes Fl
nallv-for the limits Of country Journals
will not admit nor do the wants of people
who read none Others require, exhaustive
news detail>-an account should be given
of the leading events of the day IN a. con-
demse,i a form a i compatible with clear
u-.~~ and accuracy. >ay to the extent Of on,
or two columns each week, not Of dl~con-
nec,el scraps, but of coherent narrative
without comment
the editor ot the country paper can COM
mamd success hy giving his paper sufficient
excellence. Let him. hy studying good
models and using his space 10 the best ad-
vantage in the manner we have Indicate /
earlier ia thi- article render hi~ paper 4
nccc-~it. Ia the people OF the region n
which il l. published. Thus 1t will secure
a sarv local circulation IN every family oi
it, region. whith must be followed BY re-
muncrativc advertising and consequent IN
dependence Bat the practical oo~tlcles tc
such course are very great and very nu-
mcrou> They are due primarily to the sans
nortinate multiplication which w noted
as the cause oi the iceblenc,s of the Fps
copal press Thr excessiv, competition @
a half a dozen newspapers struggling for a
livelihood wherever there Is room for on'
has demoralizet editors. advertisers, and the
public alike If the editor makes 4 STAN
for what j. his due. recourse l. had to II
walls ready To underbid him by whateN ey
means. If he demands proper payment tor
his advertising it is taken to some one who
viii do it cheaper, and he is left with none
if he declines to have his duties interrupted
bv every gossiping lounger it Is attributec
to hquteur, and his popularity and that o
his journal l. destroyed if he demand.
prompt payment it is taken in dudgeon
if he pur~ues an Independent course IN any
local or general issue there Is detection
among his readers to sheet of less princi
Pile and more ready of fcompliance; II he re
fuses to lend his own to venal purposes
hundred expedents can be employed t
break it down or eXalt Its rival. TN
state of things has tended inevitably to th'
deterioration of the country press and o
the class of men who are willing to worE
upon it.