, 1883-01-20
Newspapers and Newspaper Men.

to us that every editor who daily or weekly
sends US the coinage OF his brain had made
4 resolve in So to issue better paper than
he did in 50. The several exchanges tossed
on our desk every evening bear Us out
in the assumption With two or three tx,
ceptions, where the managers mistake their
vocation as smpt-mi!l superintendents, the
papers are good, clear, honest exponents OF
the localities in which they are printed. 1t
was Horace Greeley who sand there's moth
ing easier in this world than to run hla k
guard newspaper, and II the present alone
were looked at, 1t would seem as though few
things We're more successful pecunilrily /;
but in the long run the paper that preserves
purity of tone and goes on the principle that
its patrons are decent people will have abid-
ing prosperity.
Scattered throughout this state and our
sister territory are some sixty or sevtnty
different little newsIap Published in
thinly settled communities. and countless
disadvantages, and oftentimes poorly sup
ported, the wonder is that they are so good
as they are. The publishers are generally
sansuine OF ultimate success, but 1t Is too
often that ''hope deferred, which maketh
the heart sick" Thess papers do more good
than the are credited for. They attract
the attentIoa of capital, they proclaim the
points OF inducemeut that that particular
locality presents, and bring more money and
population to the country than any other
one human institution.
The metropolitan newspapers have dii-
ferent life from their less pre.entious corn-
try brethren about the time TINT the editor
OF a city daily Is in full blast, the rural pro-
mulgatnr OF weekly meas is slumbering
peacefully, in the knowledge that though
his journalistic city brother has in many re-
sprcts the advantage supposed 10 How IRON
the seduc i've midnight champagne, Yet he
in his bncolic retirement has good many
enjoymeuts from winch his metropolitan
coufreIe is debarrei
As Tor instance, what joy irradiates the
soul OF the country journalist, when one OF
his subscribers brings in bunch OF the fas-
cinating though abnormal carrot, the rotund
and inflated squash, the unusual potato, or
that aggregation Of watery excrescence usn'
ally known as the beet" Should the sub
scriber's admiration for the genius of the
editor in question assume the substantial
form of PAIR of chickens, how mutually
pleasant for the donor and dOnee to write up
the race and pedigree Of said fowls with
additional eulogis.ie mention Of their supe-
rior laying qualities, and the nigh price
atta;nable for fresh specimens OF their ovari-
GUS skill
Now, If Mr.. Scott, Uf the OregOhian, or
Mr. Noltner, of the Standard, or Col. F. j.
Parker, editor-in-chiei and business manager
Of the Wslla Walla STATESaAN, were prof.
the presumption is that either of these gen
tlemen, hedged around by all tine dignity
and sittisg meath the fierce light that IRA,
dates the editorial tripod, could in self-de-
ense, do no more than call upon the servant
in waiting to remove the birds, foregoing
any newspaper comment thereon while, in
ali probability, were such gift rendered to
some poor. deserving evangelist. who is bu,
the ''voice Of one crying in the wilderness,
he would straddle through the streets in an
ecstscy OF glee, and announce to an expec'
tant though limited circle, lis receipt
l. is creditahle TO the people of this Goa:
that so many newspapers find reason for ex
istence true. the invariable laws of supply
and demand are sometimes little strained,
and one will occasionally find tae newspaper
business ove, done but as general thing
newspaper Is, because there Is demand
for 1T, a need for it, field tOr It in which
to exercise legitimate function, and when
ever the demand ceases. the newspaper nusl
soon cease its sickly being.
Amusing are the instances WHEREIN a aews
paper refuses to die, the propristor ignoring
all evidences OF sickliness on TIE part Of hi:
bantling. Years ago, travelling through one
of the valleys of southeastern Nevada, W,
turned aside to visit an oid-tim. newspaper
confrere, who had in days of yore howIed
show much a ye got, six = at us many a
weary night. He Sc. the type himself. rar
the slender ''ad. case, was his own editor,
comp, foreman, and all the rest OF it. and
when night came on, drew out huge pile Of
papers from under the imposing stone,
wrapped blanket around him and slep,
luxuriously. His kr.ches was in his edi.
torial Office. so that be coaId keep an eve on
the potatoes and see that they didn't boil
over While he wrote crushing editorial on
Nihilism, that would have made the mon.
arch Of all the Russians tremble had he seen
IT. This is not overirawu; and it is with
pleasure We add that he '.stuck il throuoh :
and made It win eventually.
II would perhaps surprise some of COR
readers TO figure up the great amount oi
matter In large cai!y. For instance. the
last number of the San francesca Cal to
hand, has more reading matter than would
Oh book of S6 pages; the newspaper is
sold for tan cents; the book would cost at
least 81 20. And NO book of 336 pases conid
be OF mere interest than the paper Of which
Ne SPEAK the product Of a hundred burt
h,nds, the result Of as many fertile thought.
and taeiie pens. the highest exponent Of our
modern civilization, the most potent force "a
the univsrse. the history Of the surin for I
day.-4aoysas.