The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1896-07-01
PERSONAL. "REMINISCENCES
OF Some Former Newspaper Experiences
in Montana.

in Montana.
At the exercises OF the Montana
State Press Association in the opera
house at Missoula, last Thursday
evening, tile following paper was
read by James e. Stevens, Of the
RAvALLI REPUBLICAN,:
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
One week ago tonight, on delay
ed train I received letter at Stcv-
cnsvil1e from Henry 0. Collins, Of
the Missoula committee, informing
me they had decided that I should
prepare paper on Montana Journal
ism, and he was SO good as to state
that as had only a. weekly paper, it
would be very easy for me, having
very little to do, to sit down on Sum
day and knock out s few columns
Now Mr.. Chairman, that might work
all right in some eastern center Of
culture, morality and civilization,
where a ready-print inside or out
side was used, a few locals about how
4Samuel Hayseed was in the village
yesterday from Jaytown." "Mrs.
Homespun's Jersey COW had q fine
heifcr calf last week." and other
thrilling items of neighborhood in
terest filled the local pages, while
the editorials were made up Of the
rivalry between Pumpkinyillc and
Cloverdale, as to which had the pret-
tiest girls and the fastest "hoss," and
learned discourse on the SO cent sill
YER dollar, ETC., all Of which gives
the editor plenty of time to sit on
the counters of the local groceries,
and whittle and swap yarns with tile
oldest inhabitants. But it will not
work in the "undesirable states Of
the west," whose people are wide
awake, Jealous to keep informed up
on the general topics of the day, and
quick to discover laZincss and lack Of
enterprise in the newspaper publish
er. And it will not do in Montana
! journalism, which, when the field is
considered, is as far in advance Of
that Of the east as it's hustling men
and bright, healthy-minded women
are in advance of the "get along any
way" folks in some Of the older come
munities, who haven't the ambition
to get out and better themselves any
more than their newspapers have,
and who follow the same old rut, in
a dull, monotonous, contented ex-
istencey-like their papers. The
Montana weekly newspaper man
has his hands full, as well as his
brother on the daily paper In fact,
it is frequently the case, if the week
lily publisher is up to date, that he
works the harder Of the two. The
editor Of a daily paper has his regu-
lar daily duties-and he has time tC
perform them. When such events
sSrb}Hg SIS pt9tt9aa4h t9tt9 aa4h6Gs9tp 6G9pyf499f aaEe al
the reading public, the telegraph
brings column after column OF pre-
liminary mention Of the coming
event. This is printed with com.
mcnts, the readers Of the daily and
the editor note them, and "sut1icicnt
unto the day has been the cvi
thereof" 1t is different with tho
weekly publisher. All that prelimin-
ary stuff which is daily coming over
the wires is Of no earthly use tx
him. lie has to wait until the very
latest news that can reach him has
been received, and then sum up The
substance Of the whole. lie hasn't
the room for all the stuff that is be
ing ''sloughed off, by his dali.
brethren, and that is about every
thing that is coming in at those
times. Then, again, the weekly
newspaper man, besides being editO.
and local reporter, is usually his owf
cad" man and general job printer
and most always work up an appetite
(fon his daily bread by kicking a jo'
pIcsS between meals. Steam ane
water power do not grow upon ever
country bush-not in the Bitter Roo
valley, at any rate. And 50 it wa
an impossibility for me to even at
tack the task set me before Monda
evening-the while since getting GU
an issue Of the paper last night.
But, to retnrn to the task assign
ed. The notice being SO short, th
opportunities for gathering data $
limited, and the fact that many
!
Illustrations is the proper word-ha1
left little to say, decided me to dt
part from the beaten path and Civ
YOU, in lieu thereof, some persona
"reminiscences OF a Montana printe
journalist.
There arc few Of the old tin
Montana newspaper boys left.
! may say that time and the reaper {
life's harvest have been very kind
most of them, and many are with |
tonight.
My very first acquaintance wit
the journalists OF Montana dat
from May, 1874, when took one
those plcasurablc rides on Gilmcr
Salisbury's overland stage line fro
Corinnc, Utah, to Helena, Montan
Pulling into Pleasant Valley static
one afternoon at the front end of
blizzard, we were compelled to stt
over all night at the stage static
The next morning [ paid the bi
$500, for supper, bed and brcakfa
- to young man who with his moth
. kept the station, and, believe, hel
" cd wash dishes when there was
: rush. He was always good sor
That young man, Mr.. Chairma
afterwards entered the field Of Mo
tana journalism at Butte. BY /
natural ability, aided by his gcni
personality, he has gradually ris
in public position and the esteem