Connecticut western news., 1890-10-01

tam country newspaper. Right here I want to quote the utterahce of that eminent statesman anl jurist, the late David Davis. He said:
 Every year every local paper gives from $100 to $50O0 free lines for the sole benefit Of the community in which it is located. No other agency can or will do this. The local editor in proportion to his means does more for his town than any other ten men, and in all fairness, man with man, he ought to be supported; not because you may happen to like him, or admire his writing, but because a local paper is the best investment a com munity can make. It may not be brilliant, or crowded with great thoughts, but finan- cially it is of more benefit to a community than the preacher or teacher. Understand us now, we do not mean morally or intellect ually, but financially; and yet on the moral question you will find the majority of local papers are on the right side of the question. Today the editors of local papers do the most work for the least money of any men on earth. Subscribe for your local paper, not as char ity, but as an investment.
 Brethren of the Connecticut Weekly Press association, some of you know by experience how unkind and unjust some churches, societies, organizations and individuals are who take their job print ing to some amateur printer, but bring their free advertising to the editor There are very few country newspapers that can live by subscriptions alone; they must also have job printing and paid advertisements in order to exist. You realize how discouraging it is to the editor to faithfully work for the best in- terests of community-work1 16 hours day as many country editors do and then have the public seem indifferent to the editors welfare by neglecting to pay their subscription, by withholding their advertising patronage and by taking their job printing to some one who is not resident of their town, or if he happen to be resident he is not in a position to benefit the town as the pub ic-spirited editor can. You have often felt that the public, by their acts, prayed in this wise: "Oh Lord, do Thou keep the editor humble and we will keep him poor" @
 The public do not expect that minis ters can afford to work without compen. sation. If the minister's salary is mere pittance, or withheld entirely, he cannot be expected to preach eloquently and effectively and to contribute cash to every religious enterprise. The country editor has no stipulated salary. His in. come depends on the public patronage. If that patronage is withheld the editor cannot meet the operating expenses o1 the paper, much less make any outlay for improvements or contribute any cash to numberless social, educational, relig' ious or benevolent enterprises. No req sonable person would expect to hall starve horse and have it do as mucE work as 8 horse we'll fed and kindly treated; neither should the public expect to half starve newspaper and yet re- quire excellent and unceasing service Ministers and editors should at least be treated with as much fairness and con sideration as horses are. I am also in clined to think that ministers are gener- ally treated more fairly than editors are. Ministers frequently preach sermons that awaken the public conscience; un. mask public and individual sins and utter words of admonition and warning, yet their utterances are not resented. al though nearly every hearer can find g garment that will fit him; but if an editor in the discharge of his duty happens tc publish anything which subscriber can possibly misconstrue into personality the return mail is apt to bring a notice which reads "Stop my paper !" Al such times the editor is forced to think that the public desire him to give then considerable tafy and but very little wholesome aduice.
 Another injustice shown the editor ii this: the public demand that the edito1 fight their battles for them and ventilate the iniquity or oppression of some COT poration or some political com bination the neglect of duty or breach of trust O. some public official, and yet the editol has to take the chances of being sue6 for libel, even if he makes no false state ments in the matter.
 In order to hold their prompt-payine subscribers, or to collect pay from de | linquents, and to secure new subscrib CTS, some country editors are actually compelled to annually run homemade lottery and gi0e every subscriber ticke in the drawing; others are forced to give 16 months subscription for the price O. 12 months, or else offer various othel premiums, which they cannot afford, tt subscribers and to agents. To be com pelled to buy subscribers is certainly hu initiating to an editor and it is also sac commentary on public spirit and public | appreciation of an editors position an labors, and it shows to what an exten I the public realize what is due the edito] and how little the public understand the relations of the public to the editor "The laborer is worthy of his hire'' Al this point I wish to say that I do no know a newspaper in Connecticut, cer tainly not in the Connecticut Weekly Press association, but what is worth in finitely more than it's subscription price and firmly believe it is the duty of the public to sustain such newspapers with out expecting prize or premium fo1 so doing.
 There are many other points to whicl