The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-12-25
Country Newspaners.

under this head in The Century is q
paper which the reader would know
without looking at the signature is from
the pen of f. w Howe 1t is full Of
Howeisms from beginning to end
In the commencement the writer al
ludes to the curious fallacy possessing
ilost minds that anybody can be q
country editor He says he has heard
numbers of men declare they could not
be lawyer. doctor or merchant, but he
never yet heard man affirm that he
could not succeed as an editor. particu-
larly a country editor. The best country
papers, however. are conducted by pro-
fessional printers who have worked their
way. These have no backing" at all t.
begin, therefore they depend on them
selves. They struggle on nightly in
the effort to get their heads above water
and succeed, and the struggle naturally
brings out all the latent power that is in
them and puts them on top. In general,
Mr.. Howe thinks backing" is a bad
thing to have
The poorest country newspaper, poor
est in several ways, is that in the village
Of 400 or 500 inhabitants, where the ed
itor talks about "our wife, and trades
out orders on the stores for both his own
living and that of his help. Such editor
can, however, usually get living.
Really, good newspaper men are scarce
in the country, says Mr.. Howe. In spite
Of this, however, country editors are
nearly always poor. One point that
strikes the writer is the sameness observ-
able in the appearance and contents of
country newspapers, this quite apart
from considerations of patent outsides
and plate matter. They are published
| generally in country towns of about
1900 or 1880 inhabitants. These towns
usually have the same number of stores,
banks and newspapers usually twol
There is the same number of members
of each profession and business through
out. and even the population of the coun-
ties is very nearly the same. The circu-
lation Of the paper ranges from 600 to
to 500
The curious way in which the patent
outside" with all its consequences was
started is mentioned by Mr.. Howe Dur
ing the war the printers of a certain
Wisconsin weekly all enlisted and the
proprietor found it impossible to get out
his paper In this emergency he sent
and purchased half sheet of news to
fold in with his own half sheet to serve
up to his subscribers Then it occurred
to him that the thing would look much
better printed all on one sheet. This led
to his sending for a sheet printed on one
side, his own local matter to go on the
other Then suddenly an idea struck
him, and the development of that idea
led to his making a fortune
The tramp printer of the old time has
disappeared never to return. The coun-
try printer of the present has ambition
and journalistic talent. and many noted
publishers. editors and writers are
printers The demand in every news
/
country newspaper that is successful
Mr. Howe has that to say which might
always go without saying and yet which
ought always to be said, the oftener the
better
The best country papers arc usually owned
by one man. do not believe partnerships are
desirable in small ventures of any kind. In
the best country papers you will f1& few rail
road advertisements. which mean free passes,
| for 1t takes time to use passes, and certain ex-
penses are inevitable in travelling that may be
avoided at home. Whenever you find success
full country newspaper you will usually find the
| editor at home and busy. Working is becoming
erninently respectable; it is those who do not
work who are objects of suspicion. A genius
is simply industrious man who tries so
many ways that he finally finds a good one
| Wherever you find failing paper you will find
an editor who does not attend TO his business
There was time when many papers were sup
ported almost entirely by legal advertisements,
but there are few such papers now Their pro-
poieaors have either gone to work or into poll.
tics.