The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-08-01

tllC} iO ilC puOilSilCi WHO tttICptS
every offer made him, of whatever
character and under whatever condi-
tions, or is influenced by the charges
OF bis neighbour, can not do it | con-
| fess, but every man should be govern
ed by his own fixed standard, and not
| by that of some one else. Each one
Of Us is responsible for the conduct of
| his own business, and not the affairs of
another and because one man sees fit
| to conduct his business on a principle
| and in manner that will inevitably
run it IN the ground, and himself into
the shades OF retirement, is no reason
why another should do the same thing.
The best journalistic experience
teaches that a small run of ADVERTISE
inents at fairly remunerative prices, is
better than overhowing columns at
very low rates. Let us rather give our
patrons good live reading matter in
stead of dead advertisements and those
that do not pay for the space they &C
cupy. A schedule of rates at fair
prices will ultimately win If steadfastly
adhered to. 1t will take time to bring
advertisers to this, and some there are
tat will be shut out altogether, but
50 much the better for the publisher.
Make your paper as bright and clean
and attractive as possible. Strive each
week to make that issue better than
| the week before Exercise care and
| judgment in your selections as well as
III your writings, and admit nothing
good and pure. Make your publica-
ton such as it shall be sought after,
and you will experience far less
difficulty III obtaining subscribers.
With a good circulation, its value as
an advertising medium will of course
be enhanced. This will soon become
known to the advertising public. and
space in your columns will be sought
by the live business man who knows a
good thing when he sees it.
May not add that without a strict
observance of and rigid adherence to
the propositions here cnunCiated the
profession of journalism as a business
will not be clothed with that dignity
and respect, and be surrounded with
that ease and prosperity that naturally
belong 20 it. Publishers are response
bic IN large measure for the fact that
this condition Of things does not now
obtain to a greater extent.
Having dwelt thus at length upon
a subject that SO intimately affects
every newspaper publisher, | will in
passing touch upon another matter
that IS to be no less deprecated:-that
of personal journalism. Whatever the
provocation, never wage a personal
warfare through the columns OF your
paper. This, Notwithstanding it is
generally understood that an editor
has the advantage in any war of words
1t IS said of the citizen that there are
three things he should never do ::
Quarrel with a preacher, because ne
has no pulpit; with an editor, because
he has no press; and with 4 woman,
because she can out talk him every
time. And SO say to the editors, do
not quarrel with each other, although
you have press, and occupy posi-
ton next in usefulness and honor to
that of the pulpit, and can talk to more
people at the same time than the most
gifted and glib-tongued lady of the
land. Nor should this privilege be al
lowed correspondents. The public are
not interested in such matters and have
no pleasure in private grievances of
this kind. 1t lowers the dignity of
the publication guilty of it and causes
it to lose much of the respect of its
constituency. Its influence is weakened
and Its usefulness impaired by such
course. Let the newspapers Of the
State be above this evil
! The Press of North Carolina should
be one IN sentiment and one in pur-
pose-that of seeking to strengthen and
build up, and not to pull down and
destroy. Our mission is a common
one though our fields Of operation lie
apart and our paths of duty somewhat
divergent. The stars are all separate,
each revolving in its own orbit, and
! differing from the rest in size and
brlllancy, but there is not a Jar or
discord, and all together, each per-
forming its own appointed task, they
shed their light and dispel the dark
ness. And so the Press, representing
the Star of Liberty and Enlighten-
ment, should work in harmony and
unison to dispel the night-gloom of Ig-
norance and Superstition with the
blazing Sun of knowledge and Power.
The armament is large enough for all
the stars, and the field of journalism is
broad enough for us all. There may
be honest rivalry to excel, but there
should be no cause for petty jealousics, !
nor rude jostling one against another.
We have the same high objects in
view, the same glorious ends to &C
complish. Let us address ourselves to
building up and making blossom as
the rose the waste places of our grand
old COmmOnwealth-to acQuaint the
outside world with our wonderful re-
sources and to create proper under
standing and engender a better feel
ing between the sections of orr com,