The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-07-02
ABOUT PAPERS.
THE NEWS MILLS ARE
The Country Press.

Cedar Rapids (Ioro) Gazette.
Occasionally some philosopher goe
in search of the 'power OF the press
and when he does so he almost invari
ably directs his attention to some o
the chief cities and expects to find i
there. Usually he is satisfied that b.
does find it there. He has an ide:
that some great genius presldes owe
the destinies of metropolitan paper
and this Is evidence to his mind tina
1t is of great force In controlling thu
opinion of men and shaping the destl
MES of the nation.
The same man, perhaps, if he wai
told to locate the source of life in 8
tree would point to the topmost
branches or If asked as to the stability
of great building would base his
opinion on the appearance OF the cor
nice and the distance of the weather
vane from the ground.
It must not be denied, of course,
that editors of great papers are great
men. Their sayings all have enormous
weight, and If they have cribbed the
sentiment from some less prominent
journal they get the credit for it and
who is to know the difference? The
newspapers of every city in the United
States of over 100000 population
might adopt the same course by agree
ment, and unless the country press
agreed with them they would not ac-
complish their aim. Sentiment origi-
mates with the people, and the country
editor knows what that sentiment is in
his locality better than does the editor
of some New York paper, who, like
Charles A. Dana, may be spending
halt his time among the people of 9TH
or countries. The country editor stays
at home He knows 'where he Is at"
He Is acquainted with the opinions
and peculiarities OF most of his sub
scribers. He is in position to know
what they think, what they indorse
and what they condemn. His paper
reflects his knowledge. He is the root
of the tree, while his brother in the
great city who considers himself more
fortunate is one of the branches.
The country press is an unfailing in
dioation of the condition of the public
mind, and just as it is needed by the
cooped-up city man is he right or
wrong. Examples are not wanting in
the immediate past to prove that the
supposedly great editors and cores
pondents can 60 astray. The New
York World made a pitlful spectacle
of itself in the recent issue between
England and the United States. tide
rived Its information from the city OF
New York and thought it reliable.
The London Times wanted information
and sent to man of supposed great
in New York for it. The
World and the Times are now some
what in the position of driftwood left
in the willows after a freshet.
Out Of place and not even attractive.
The London Chronicle wanted informa-
ton and sent MIR. Norman after it.
Did he go to New York, Baltimore.
Philadelphia or Boston after it? Not
by any means. He was too old news
paper man. He bought a through |
ticket Tor Washington. He learned |
the Senators and Representatives, who
read the papers from home, thought |
of the matter and Immediately inform
ed the English people that the New |
y ork World and London Times were /
vide of the mark. But the Senators |
and Representatives did not make the |
sentiment. Sentiment sent them to |
and they know it. When
a city paper tells them to do thing |
they think about it. When the coun-
try press of their own districts, especial
~ the press of their own party, tells
them to do thing it is done. They |
know perfectly we'll what is behind the
and that 1t is especially worthy
of attention. This is what the Gazette |
calls power.
When you desire to learn what the
people think waste no time on the |
guesses of some editor of great city
paper who entered college at eighteen
or twenty years of age and has learned
of the average citizens since
that time. He is likely to be better |
on ancient Babylon than on
The United States of America at the |
present time, unless he studies the say
ings of his meek and lowly bretheren
who labor in obscure towns and vii |
lagos. The composite opinion of the
press never goes wrong. 1t is
infallible. It represents the people
and whatever the majority |
of them say is law. Solomon was
ovoro of tbooo focfo whom ho cold |