Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-01-06
To Our Friends.


HERALD, the undersigned assume this
week the proprietorship Of THE HER
AID, Mr.. Pollock retiring. The contem-
plated change having been mentioned in
the last issue, and the present manage
h:ent formally introduced to the readers
OF the paper, we here fguratively shake
hands with our friends, and indulge in a
moments interview respecting our OBJ
jects and intentions in assuming our
new relation to the people as public
journalists.
We do not contemplate making any
radical change in the general policy or
management Of The HERALD. Perhaps
the most radical Is in the mechanical
makeup of the paper, which, as appears
at glance, is somewhat different, and
as we believe better adapted to the wants
OF our patrons than the former. The old
type of THE HERALD having become
worn from long use, hardly reada-
bic, and damaging TO the printing press
because of the strong impression re-
quired 10 make them print, We have
purchased new type for the paper--a
new dress, rs i is called having a
plain, bold and clear face, which will
enable AS TO give our readers much
greater amount of reading matter with
out sacrificing anything on the score of
plainness or ease Of reading.
We shall also make other improve
mcnts in the mechanical department Of
The HERALD having contracted for a
new job press, job type, &c, and thus
prepare ourselves for doing iirst-cla-4
job work.
In the matter of advertising We have
also made few changes that may not
be unpleasing. 1t shall be our aim to
publish as little foreign advertising as
possible, and to give the preference of
advertising space to our home advertis-
ers
In an editorial sense, we shall endeavor
to continue the policy of THE HERALD,
making il q public journal devoted to the
interests of the county, rejecting the
news of the county in its columns, as
well as public sentiment on the public
questions of the day; encouraging edu-
cation, morality and home culture, and
protecting the rights of the citizens so
far as the capacity of THE HERALD goes
to give such protection.
We have county of large area,
blessed by nature with fertile soil and
gricultural advantages; with over 49,
600 inhabitants, and villages and towns
scattered within it to the number of half
hundred. The advantages and local
happenings of every section Of the coun-
ty we hope to represent in the columns
OF The HERALD, and shall engage COM
pctent correspondents for that purpose
We shall endeavor to maintain a
straightforward course with our readers,
giving our views with candor and fair
ness, and should we make errors of
judgment or mistakes of fact, we shall
willingly retract the same Our inter-
ests are by the nature of things placed
upon the same basis with the interests
OF the people in common, so that upon
all measures Of public concern we shall
represent the voice Of the majority.
We have no filings to make ut virtue,
nor Establishments for vice; nor do we
expect to indulge in personal bubbles,
which indulgence is too often one of the
banes of journalism. We believe that
the readers of a public journal have no
interest in having obtruded upon them
the personal animosities of private indi-
viduals who prostitute the columns of
the newspaper, which are sacred to sub
iectS OF public concern, TO the gratilica-
ton of personal resentment; and there
fore we shall endeavor to treat our OPP
ponents, if such we have, with fairness,
and then only when public circumstan-
ces require It,
Politically, THE HERALD remains a
Republican journal, believing rs we do
that the interests of the country are best
conserved by the Republican party.
Looking back in the past, it is pleas
urc to reflect thatsthe policy of this pa
per in that regard has not'been changed
since the lowly birth of that party, that
is now stalwart and strong, in 1856. In
deed, the principles which at that date
found voice in the platform of a party,
formed part of the policy of THE
HERALD, and were advocated by it long
before. And there is something more in
the reflection than the pleasure it gives.
1t is matter of pride that this journal
advocated and espoused those princi-
pies in the face of stormy opposition and
danger. The way is clear now. and it
is easier to be a Republican Then it
was a gallant little band of determined
men. who believed that the principles
they advocated had common birth with
Truth and Justice, against fierce, inn
placable public opinion; SO fierce that
free speech was throttled, and open adj
vocacy of anti-slavery doctrines tempted
violence. Indeed. there are those among
our venerable friends now living in Lam
caster and in the county. who were com
PEELED to cease speaking at public con-
course, and were taken away by friends
for safety;just as Garrison was gagged of
speech in enlightened % Boston; just
rs Lovejoy was mobbed, and his news
paper destroyed for exercising freedom
of the press.
Those were truly "times that tried
mems souls" And looking back, we
can readily believe that THE HERALD
lan rough-shod indeed, but, thank God
never wavered in its course. Republi-
canism now involves less obloquy and
contempt, but it still requires defense.
While the anti-war issues are dead is
sues-were carried TO Judgment by the
Republican party before the bar of pub
lie opinion--that party is now engaged
in prOSpeutincr other great rnaaSures fo,.