St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-16
The COUNTRY NEWSPAPER
BRIGHT PAPER BY EDITOR WHITNEY.
OF MARSHALL.
PLENTY OF LOCAL NEWS ITEMS

The Thing Most co Re Desired in
the Country ePress-A Well
Defined Editorial and Bus,-
ness Policy Is Also an Aid in
Making the Successful Coun-
try Newspaper.
Paper read before the Minnesota Editorial
association by c, c. Whitney. of the Mar
Shall News Messenger Feb. Is, 1911 g.
Mr. President and Members -I the
Association: The topic of chow to con-
duct country newspaper" as ancient
as the institution known as an editorial
association. and it's presentation as
regular as the business meetings there
of. Could the wisdom of the aggre-
gated papers upon this important sub
Ject be CLEANED in single effort, there
might be no necessity for annually re-
newing the topic; and yet, when
we reflect upon the progressive strides
of the country press during the exist
ence of our association, the time devoted
to such discussion may be considered
as achieving good results, while the
constantly-inereasing and exacting de-
mands of the reading public spur the
ambitious and progressive newspaper
man to seek mole light as to ways and
means of satisfying his patrons, and
where, better than in the councils of
his profession, can such light be Oh
tanned? Hence | willingly contribute
my mite to this important discussion.
but serve 20 turn OH the further reach
ing searchlights of my associates.
L believe it to be the first duty Of the
newspaper man to invest himself with
the idea that, while he may be the sole
owner and manager OF his plant, in the
publication of his paper he has part
nership limited only by the number of
his subscribers and the public, whose
highest interests he should serve. In
other words, his journal becomes fac
tor in every household it enters. and its
welcome depends upon its promotion of
the general veal; it goes abroad as the
authorized representative of its town
and county, and speaks for the people,
rather than as the effort of its editor.
In the recognition Of such partnership
no publisher need lose his lndepend-
ence. and by such recognition his eff
forts will be enhanced. his influence
enlarged and his personal interests pro-
NOTED.
The most important element in the
variety or matter which should consti-
tute country newspaper is the local
department, and in no community large
enough to maintain paper should
single issue thereof appear with dearth
of local news and comment. its guam
tity and quality should be gagged with
Judgment to meet the tastes and num-
berS of readers Interested, and all in.
terestS should be impartially presented.
The sources of local news are extensive,
even in the smallest communities. and
need but tapping to secure an abund-
ance of good material. The work of
churches is best promoted by publicityof
their numerous events in the press, and
local pastors are not slow to avail them
selves of the privileges of our columns:
secret and social societies afford a good
field for reportorial work, and the pre-
Sentation of their interests is no less
pleasing to their membership than it is
interesting to other readers; everything
relating to the administration of affairs
of town and county is of vital interest,
and fund of information is easily at
talHable from town and county officials:
every community has its societies. liter
Of aial n
reports of their transactions are of
interest to many readers, and usually
may be secured with no effort by the
publisher; of no little importance to
the average reader are matters of small
gossip and personal mention, often
riulculed by the city press, yet Great
ing all interest that is readily shown bv
all occasional omission of the personal
column. These and numerous other
sources of news readily occurring to
the wide-awake editor afford an abund-
ance of material for good local matter,
and there is no excuse for weakness i'm
this department of a paper.
Allied to local matter, and of scarcely
less Importance, is the department of
county correspondence, and perhaps
the maintenance of this department is
as difficult and vexatious TO the country
publisher as any effort he contends
with. Few country newspapers can
afford salaried correspondents, yet by
favorS and courtesies shown the writer's
much good correspondence may be Sc
cured. A supply of stationery, with
stamped and addressed envelopes, and
a complimentary copy of the paper is
the least consideration that can be Of
fered the correspondent, and the privi-
lege of speaking good words for his
locality, the furnishing of printed sta
tionery for private use, and an occa-
sional remembrance of a substantial
kind is effective. and within the means
of nearly every publisher.
Correspondence upon matters of local
OF general interest may be beneficial to
newspapers, as it interests the public or
the friends of the writer. But unless
Judiciously controlled it may prove det-
fimentai. When controversy to a de-
gree of creating ill feeling is engen-
dered, publication should cease. Nearly
all papers are appealed to for space for
temperance work, and no small por-
ton of every community is interested
therein. L find it prOmOtYe of good re-
suits anu satisfactory TO all classes of
readers to largely restrict such cOrre-
spondence TO reports and comments of
the work of the numerous societies,
thereby affording local news and giving
life and interest TO this department., at
the same time making strong friends
for the paper.
~