The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-05-31

| thirst for. Let it ''stick to its mutton
Let the country papers of North Carolina
| supply their subscribers with more home
reading matter.
| In alignment with this suggestion of
| giving more room in our columns to
matters OF local import is that of tacit
| understanding among the newspaper
men OF our State to give a greater
amount OF clippings from each others
journals, duly credited and commented
on. Such II system will have the effect of
encouraging each other to put forth
greater effort i'll producing something
worthy OF reproduction. There is thing
which cheers the all too barren life of the
average country editor more than to see
some thoughtful article, some bright
paragraph, upon which he has bestowed
infinite labor and pains, republished in
the columns OF IN esteemed contempt
rary and, perhaps, favorably commented
on. 1t is only by giving all thenews it
| can of it's locality and State that the
country paper can reach that measure
OF success it hopes for. 1t should not
suffer the ESTABLISHMENT of becoming ii
mere echo of the pretentious city paper.
| 1t should not surrender its identity and
| individuality to the metropolitan repre-
| sentative of impersOnal journalism, when
we all know that the personality of the
| country editor in his columns constitutes
| that papers greatest charm and force.
When we have to use the scissors (and
| they ought to be used oftener than the
pen) rather let us go to our State eX-
| changes and select some article of
| editorial opinion or item of news which
comes home to our readers and affords
them the largest degree of entertainment.
1t is better to do this than to gut our
columns with the long winded rot of the
city papers and build up a sentiment in
their behalf which in the end insures to
our lasting damage.
No local paper should be ashamed OF
it's limited field, in which it has " fit audi
ence, though few" If it devotes itself
properly to it's work it can occupy its
ch osen field, build up an enviable patron
age and establish itself in warm place
in the hearts of each and every reader,
which can never be gained by an outside,
alien paper. Many distinguished editors
of wide circulation have often wished
themselves in a position where they
could study the individual tastes of their
readers and have the pleasure of catering
| to them.
Give all of your home news first.
Exert yourself to collect it all. Many
things escape your observation which
might be secured by a little energy. After
this copy the news from the papers in the
next county and from Others of your
exchanges. You will find that this policy
| will result in an increase OF patronage,
and your readers will cease to complain
of the papers proverbial dulness
1t is a mistaken idea-a helpless and
thankless task-givng circulation and
, currency to the views of the foreign
paper in preference to your home ex-
changes. Cultivate the provincial spirit.
Through Il well-directed system OF CO.
operation by which mutual interchange
of ideas can be secured in this way-an
Interstate commerce of news and views
on Il basis OF mutual reciprocity-a great
deal may be accomplished in the way OF
adding to that interest and entertain
ment without which no journal can ever
secure any considerable measure of sue
cess. Such a cooperation would serve
to give all our journals large audience
throughout the State and familiarize the
names OF our humble sheets with people
who ought to know of them. Besides,
such Il policy on the part of editorial
workers would do much toward the
material upbuilding of the State and
would give to the old Tar Heel State
that local flavor and coloring which
should be the distinctive charms of every
State.
Let the Press Association set the pace
OF this reform.
Even our dread rivals, the metropolitan
press, are becoming SO much alive to the
demand for home news that they are
trying to add it to their general service
Let not the force of the old saying about
going from home to get the news
apply any longer to the members OF the
country press of North Carolina and their
constituencies.
The reform along this line unlike SO
many other reforms) is one which in.
wolves no additional expense-only q
change of the complexion of the papers
to conform more closely to the long felt
wants of their patrons.
EDWARD GILLIAN.