The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-03-01
THE FUTURE POLICY OF LEADING
SOUTHERN PAPERS.

Mr.. Richard H. Edmonds, editor
and general manager of the Baltimore
Manufacturers Record, and one of
the best, if not the best authority in
the country on Southern statistics and
development, has written letter to
Hon. Patrick Walsh, general manager
of the Southern Associated Press, in
which he says:
have been intending for several days
to write and heartily commend the
circular which you have issued to the
agents of the Southern Associated Press
in regard to the character OF news that
the Southern papers desire. 1t seems to
me that YOU have undertaken a move
ment that will mark an entirely new
period in the history OF Southern news
paper work. AS the daily papers gather
ing their information through the press
associations give more and more atten-
ton to Industrial and business matters,
the weekly papers will soon take the cue,
and ere long we will have the entire press
of the South vigorously working for
everything that pertains to Southern
progress, rather than devoting so much
space to dog fights and murders.
This Endorsement from Mr.. Edmonds
was elected by circular sent out to
the agents Of the Southern Associated
Press last week by the general manager,
instruCting them 20 devote more
attention to industrial matters and less
to crimes and casualties of a character
possessing only local interest We
believe that this policy on the part Of
the Southern Associated Press will be
endorsed by the newspapers who
publish the press dispatches and by
the reading public. We believe that
the most important field of endeavor
for the newspapers of the South is the
attracting to the Southern States of
men with money to invest in industrial
enterprises, and practical, thrifty
farmers TO settle upon our idle and
poorly cultivated acres of arabic land.
While in all things we believe in
conservatism, there can be no doubt
that the field of the newspaper is
optimism rather than pessimism. There
are pessimists enough in every walk of
life, and the aim of the newspaper
should be to hold mems hopes and
efforts up to the highwater mark,
rather than by its own gloomy columns
to submerge the spirits Of its readers
in yet deeper gloom. The field of the
newspaper is to encourage and build
up, and while it should be truthful
mirror of the times, still we believe
that the space that is given to the
account Of the suicide of Jones in
Mississippi or the homicide Of Smith
in Kentucky could be much more
profitably devoted to the establishment
of factory in Mississippi or the
erection of some important building
in Kentucky.
The suicide and the murder are
proper items of news in the territory
where the parties are known, but
beyond it they are absolutely without
interest. In addition to this, their
influence is dispirlting and calculated
to further the idea that the world is
growing worse, and that sooner or
later everything is going to the
demnition bow-wows. On the other
hand, the news that a new furniture
factory is going up here, new church
there, big school house in another
place, that a big wholesale business
has been established somewhere else,
and a shoe factory in still another
place-items of this kind stimulate
business, faith and confidence, renew
hope among the discouraged and
encourage others to embark in useful
enterprises.
1t will be the policy of the Southern
Associated Press to cover the field
fully in every department of Legitimate
news, emitting nothing that ought to
be published, but at the same time &c
devote its great influence to the build
ing up of the South rather than to
parading unnecessarily every personal
difficulty and casualty that transpires
We have in the Southern States the
most delightful and productive section
of this great country, and the press O.
the South can engage in no more
profitable and proper work than in
bringing the rest of the world to q
knowledge of these facts.-Augusta
Ca Chronicle.