Smyrna times., 1884-06-25

/ lldtS WuulQ UG MluNlN VQOltus 1utNo UE-
cause they are in papers representing linn
! tied fields and obscure sections are none
the less valuable because Of this fact, but
this is the way the world judges them
| There has been marked improve
ment in our Peninsular press in every de-
partment, especially in the editorial and
mechanical management. This is the more
manifest to the writer of this article in
comparing the present with thirty years
ago, when youth and without experience
he launched the TINES on the sea of jour
naliSm. Much less was expected of an edi-
tor then, but in turn, he had much less to
expect Of n community, conservative as
far rs u newspaper was concerned to the
point of starvation Such was the case
with several ventures that preceded the
TIMES in this town, and most of the other
large towns had similar experiences The
war, with the stimulus to reading its Incl
dents induced, made the success of news
papers a much surer thing.
At the time above referred to there were
only eight newspapers in the State-the
Journal, Gazette, Republican,, and Blue
HENS Chicken, of Wilmington-all semi
weekly but the latter-,the TIMES,
Smyrna; Reporter, Dover; Beacon, Mil
ford, and Messenger, we think. was the
name of paperi Georgetown. Repeated
attempts had been made to establish daily
papers in Wilmington but never success
fully until the Commercial made it fact,
which prompted the EUery Ercaing as a
penny paper, the latter finally purchasing
the former and thus getting rid of its for
midable rival. The Republican is the only
one of the three original papers of that city
now in existence, and it some years ago
changed to a daily. The number as lead
ing newspapers still continues ut three, but
with a bettersupport from the rapid growth
Ofthe city, the Morning Mars coming in as
thevigorOus junior.
The Milford BeacoR, under the manage
ment of Mr.. Emerson. the Nestor of the
Peninsular press (now Of the Denton
UnioH) stood out par erce(ieacs, noted
success, the attractions of local paper
being then its contributions of prose and
poetry by local aspirants ambitious of lit
erary fame, rather than the amount of news
it contained. The Beacony success
prompted a second and shortly a third, the
SUSSEX Gleaner, intended for the patronage
Of that county, the result being that Mil
ford instead of retaining good paper soon
had nOne-all had given up the ghost"
The issues preceding the war brought out
the Penusuiar N,1cs in the same town.
which was vigorously conducted until its
close, when it passed out of existence for
several years but was revived again about
fifteen years ago
The Deiarare State Reporter proved a
costly venture to all who took hand at it,
and the material was finally resold to the
type foundry for few hundred dollars.
The DetalcareaH was started about this
time as = stock company, but after running
several years without profit it was purchased
by one of the company since which time.
with its large field and splendid patronage
1t has been in every way success. \
Georgetown paper has been published off
and on by different managements since.
but never success until the two present
publications.
Within few years subsequent to the
war the Dover Sentinel Middletown
Transcript, Breok,rater Light CLAYTON
Heyaid, Smyrna Mteiiigescer and Seaford
Aadrr were started the three first are sue
cesstul journals but all the others are non
est. During the last decade there has been
rapid increase in new publications in the
State and now if we have counted Alright
there are p in Delaware, ten Of which are
in Wilmington, including dailies and
weeklies, there being in the latter two Sun
day issues.
We have taken so much space to speak
Of the papers ofour own State that but lit
tie room is left for those of Maryland.
The two Of Elkton were then, as now, con-
sidered among the best on the Peninsula.
those of Cambridge coming next in the
sense Of live papers. In the other towns
they were recognized rather as advertis-
ing mediums and aside from the exciting
local happenings, were given up to ex-
treme partisan politics. The writer, who
was out of the publishing business for some
years found a marked improvement in all
these papers when he returned tc the edi-
tors desk again. In every case greater
enterprise was manifested, while more
liberal tone pervadad the editorials.
Surprise has frequently been expressed
why the Maryland towns could publish so
many and such cheap papers The reason
is very apparent. Il is the Paradise Of
newspapers. The State distributes be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 among them for
publishing the laws the counties from
500 10 $500 to each for publishing its Fl
nancial Statement; every constable. sher-
it, executor or trustees sale is advertised
at legal rates, the only rate that counts
adequately to the publisher Of otherwise
limited patronage Besides, they have the
much less profitable paying commercial
advertising that the Delaware paper has
almost entirely to rely upon. They have
fifty and in some cases one hundred dollars
for legal advertising, where the Delaware
papers get one, and why shouldn't thew
scatter their publications around at almost
nominal prices?
But we must bring this article already
spun out to greater limit than WA, intend
ed, to close, by congratulating our
brethren Of the press on all sides for the
manifest advance in Peninsular journalism.