Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1886-07-15
The Local Paper.
Rounds Printers Cabinet.


ated by the people who enjoy them.
Whether we consider it as promoter
of business prosperity, or as a moral
and educational institution, its real
value is much greater than that usual
" attributed to it BY those who ought
to valueit highest. No other business
establishment contributes as much to-
ward the upbuilding OF town, and no
other business man is called upon to do
as much gratuitous work in the inter-
est Of his neighbors and the public as
its editor. The amount of free adver-
tising done in the local paper in the
course OF year is simply enormous.
Every church festival, every sshool ex-
hibition, the meetings of the sewing
circles, mite societies, Masonic and
other lodges, village officials, church
and school boards, and promiscuous
gatherings of all kinds are duly an
nounced. without charge. If such an
nouncements were paid for, even at
half rates, the publishers Income
would be materially increased. But
these are nothing as compared with the
free advertising in behalf of projected
railroads, turnpikes, and public i'm
provements in general.
Few men, it seems, are capable Of
correctly estimating the obligation of
the community to the local paper and
its editor. The masses accept the bene-
fits and the services as matters of course.
When he has paid the subscription
price the average subscriber appears to
think the account balanced. Indeed,
there are those who appear to think
they are doing an extremely generous
thing to pay for their paper at all.
They seem to think the editor ought to
be grateful for his proper dues. They
regard the paying of their subscription
us the doing of IA charitable deed, and
this, like other charities. is performed
very grudgingly. They do not think
of the beneficial effects upon the bust
ness interests of the place, in which
every member of the community shares
produced by the publication OF the local
paper. They do not stop to co onsider
what would be the effect if its publica.
tion were stopped.
A very little thought is, however
sufficient to convince any sensible per-
son that the support of the local paper
is. from a purely business standpoint, q
most profitable investment for the com
munity atlarge. Compare, for instance
the amount Of capital invested in the
mercantile business of town with
that invested in the local papers, and
note how inconsiderable the latter is
| the ratio is prehaps one hundred to one
Then compare the amount annually
| spent ut the stores with that paid t,
| support the local papers and again Aott
! the insignificance of the latter amount
the terms OF the proportion are eveI
more diverse. Who will say that thu
comparison is unfavorabieao the news
papers?
The comparison does not fail, either
when applied to moral and educationa
institutions. A community that sup
ports two or three papers is general,
found supporting prehaps hundret
churches and schools. Compare tn
cost of maintaining all these institu
tions, including the salaries of preacher
and teachers, with the cost of support
ing the local papers. Then compar
the moral and educational results, on
side with the other, and it is pretty SAT
to say that the result will not be un
favorable to the properly conducte
paper. (And. right here. it is proper
say that q fair and just comparison
must exclude immoral publications a
well as drinking saloons, gambling
dens, drunken teachers, libertine Minis
ters, and all other debasing influence
A paper, the moral tone of which i
low, is no more worthy of liberation Q
encouragement in a community or In
home than any other institution or il
Z dividual tainted with moral leprosy.)
Every man engaged in business, or
any way interested in the material pro-
peritY of his town and vicinity, or j
the educational affairs OF his COMMIT
nifty, or in the moral purity of soclet
in his neighborhood, is under great obi
cation to his local paper, and shoul
give it a liberal support, not rs charit
but as duty to himself, to his famil
: and to his neighbors, and as wise il
yestment of his money.
Several of our eminent citizens al
afflicted with theory that there is
hole in the bottom of the Missouri riv,
: which furnishes the artesian suppl
This is cheerful subject to rumina
upon during these heated days, but
don work with the old pioneer art
5 sianlsts. s.-Press and Dakotaian.
Watch them close; Cressey says Il
, members Of the Capital commissie
: always sang There's a hole in the be
: TOM" ETC., before retiring.
e Personal.
r G. G. Seifert. of Marion. was in tov
4 Saturday night.
Jos. Allen Is at Sioux Falls this wee
) attending the constitutional conve
: tion.
J, Commissioner N Nelson, of Centrevil
a made q pleasant call ut the Hera
e office on Thursday last.
>, Mrs. L. II. Alderman and childr
haye gone to Michigan. where she &C
II templates remaining for some time.
It j. NJ. Roper. of Marion, was in to,
d Saturday night. and installed the n,
u officers of the Hurley Lodge 10. o.
n G. A. Wilson, of Des MONIES, Ia, i
Y rived in the city Wednesday morni
e to take charge of Queal 6 Co.'S, lu
ber yard.
II Attention.
- | n 10, &c