The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-12-12
Running a Newspaper.


There was only one newspaper in this
town, a semi-weekly. arrived at the
place in the afternoon, and it was dark
before gave up looking for piano. I
had not visited the newspaper Office and
did not intend to do so until the next
day. But after supper Learned that the
paper was semi-weekly and would be
issued next day.
Anxious to get in an advertisement and
notice before the paper went to press I
hurried to the Office as soon as obtained
the Information. On arriving there
found the employees, who consisted of
two young women and boy 1ounging
around in great discontentment and dis
gust. The cause was soon explained. A
man lay on the floor with his head on
pile of newspapers. He was in a drunken
stupor.
The employees explained that he was
the editor and proprietor. He had been
drinking for two or three days and had
undertook to sober himself up that
afternoon, to write his editorials, by
drinking whisky and seltzer. His effort
| at SOLDERING up had been attended with
the result that presumed iIself in his per-
son. Generally speaking he was a
sober man, but occasionally fell into
temptation. This was one of his peri
odical departures from the path of
| sobriety.
The employees had set up all the copy
| that had been given to them and now
waited for more. Not line Of editorial
had been written for the paper, and they
feared that its issue would be day late
as had happened to be the case once or
twice previously.
| fSWhot tho r,o1itiac of tho
inquired.
Republican" was the answer.
"All right" said I 'syou can take your
sticks, will write some editorials. But
| first will give you my advertisement.
Let that be set up first. It must go into
this issue. Don't be afraid; we'll get out
the paper
took off my coat and sat down at the
editors desk. The work was not new to
me- headed my first editorial ''The
Advantages of musical culture" Under
this head I said as much in favor of
musical education as could well be said
in half a column, of space, BREWER type,
and closed by saying:
In this connection it gives us pleas
ure to state that our citizens will soon
wonderful strides we have taken in
1
glance at the displayed advertisement on
our inside will recall the pleasant memo
ries of the past and excite joyous antici-
pations of the future. He is coming
| among us again-the great--i the
prince of violinists! Coming again! the
Jupiter of the musical frmament! at
tended by galaxy of stars of the first
magnitude. Shall he have a welcome?
It is for our music loving citizens to
answer. They will answer! That an
swer will be crowded house,
My next editorial was on politics. The
State was in the throes of the fall cam
| paign, and, although something of a
mild Democrat myself, yet appreciating
my position as temporary editor of a Re
/ publican paper I gave the Democrats
particular toridity, charging them, like a
good Republican as [ was for the time
being, with all the crimes in the calen-
/ der. I closed this rousing editorial as
/ follows:
"But while we claim that Republican
supremacy is necessary to the nation s
welfare, while we enter the emphatic
| declaration that this political strife must
| go on until we are victors, while we
| stand party opposed to party, at daggers
| drawn as it were in the assertion of our
political principles, it is pleasure to
reflect that we can still meet on one COM
mon ground in the affairs of social life,
and as citizens we will see to it that we
will raise one united and unanimous
shout of welcome to the great when
he comes amongst us-one week from to-
day-see ad. inside"
fattered myself that this was very
neat way of bringing in the name of the
leading card of the company, while, at
the same time, it took little of the
rough edge off the editorial itself; with
out in the least weakening its Republi-
canism.
My third editorial was entitled emusic
in the Home" Ny remarks on this sub
ject had reference to the influence of
music in promoting harmony in the
family circle. I also gave This neat
turn in closing paragraph bringing in
the concert company. These editorials
were sympathized by expressions I
sandwiched in between them, such as,
''Secure your seats early" 1--WE predict
an unparalleled rush for placesr. Our
citizens will do injury to their reputation
for musical enthusiasm and social hospi-
tality if they do not turn out en- nadsse to
receive the great-on his arrival sherer'
| Boston Commercial Bulletin.