The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-20
"reminiscences OF
an Hged Editor

writing from Stroudsburg to the New
york Sun, Ed Mott says: On July IA,
1910, Theodore Schoch became editor of
the Stroudsburg Jeffersonan. One of the
iirst to subscribe and pay for the paper
was Mrs, Eliza A. Dusenberry. A few
days ago Mrs. Dusenberry, now of New
ton, N. j. paid her fifty-sevcnth sue
cessive annual subscription to the JEFF
fersonian. To have been so long on the
subscription list of one newspaper is in
itself somewhat extraordinary exper-
ience TO have paid the first subscription
ana every one of the succeeding fifty
six subscriptions to the same person as
editor and proprietor of the paper is
one still more unusual. Mr.. Schoch, at
SS hale, hearty, and jolly, and still in the
editorial harness, confidently believes
that he is entitled to the distinction Of
being. in point of active and continuous
service on one newspaper. the oldest edi-
tor in the country. There is metal type
in the Jeffersonian office that has been
there since the paper was started, and 1t
Is doing as good service today, as 1t did
nearly three-score years ago. For fifty
years the paper has beer printed on a
Smith hand press No. 176, made by r.
Hoe & Co. There have been few editions
OF the paper of which Editor Schoch
himself has not pulled off at least a por-
ton on that press geographically tho
current issue of the Jeffersonian re-
sembles closely in appearance the first
issue of 1870 Editor Schoch has never
used patent outside or any plate mat
ter in getting out his paper. There are
few country newspapers in the land that
can make that boast. The veteran edi-
tor has set type on every issue of his pa
per- and sets type yet.
The Jeffersonian was started as a
Whig organ in a county CMonroe) where
there were five Democrats to one Whig,
and in congressional district where the
Democrats outvoted the Wings almost
ten to one. This was the famous Tenth
Legion of Pennsylvania. with the ex-
ception of one at Easton, Northampton
county, there was not n Whig newspaper
in the district, which included all the
country from Bucks county on the south
to Susquehanna county on the north, and
was made up of the present counties of
Northampton, Carbon, Monroe, Pike and
Wayne. Stroudsburg had a popula ton of
345. Rail fences bordered the main street
of the village. There We're no mail routes
in the county except one up the Della
ware valley from Easton. The county
looked upon a Whig as one misguided
and inimcal to the countrys good. Soon
after Editor Schoch began publishing the
JeffersoniaE a leading Democra. of an
adjoining township made his acquaint-
ance, liked him, and actually subscribed
for his paper. This Democrat had long
been justice of the peace for his town
ship One day constituent. of his was
in his office and picked up a newspaper
that lay on the table. Looking at it, he
dropped it as if it had been a coal of fire.
1t was the Jeffersonian.
"Shades of Jackson, 'squire!' he ex-
claimed. do you take that paper?'
The squire had to admit the fact, and
it would have beaten him for justice of
the peace at the next election if he
hadn't been snrewd enough to show cause
for taking the Whtg organ.
ITO be sure l take Schoch's paper"
he explained. 'If 1 didn't take it
wouldn't know how he argues for the
Wings. Now l know, and j can combat
him. BY combating him l can show him
the error of his WAYS. When he sees
the error of his ways he'll stop printing
a Whig paper. That's why / take the
Jeffersonian."
The squire saved himself by this ex-
| planation but somehow he didn't sue
ceed in showing Editor Schoch the er-
| ror of his ways. The audacous Whig
newspaper kept right on in that Demo-
cratic stronghold. The subscribers to the
Jeffersonian in the outlying townships
| for years had to get their papers by the
| hands of neighbors who made occasional
| trips to Stroudsburg or by having them
| left at the nearest mill or backwoods
store or tavern Those who lived along
| or near the road up the valley were more
| fortunate, for the stage drivers-who
| must have been Whigs-carried their pa
| pers and left them in fence corners, hol-
| low stumps, and other receptacles at con-
Venient points agreed upon.
The second Harrison campaign oc-
| CURED in 1910 The largest Whig vote
| ever cast in Monroe county was given for
| Harrison. 1t was 3i3, which was the
number of subscribers on the Jefferson
| ian's books, and the majority Harrison
| had in Pennsylvania.
80 we saved the state for Harrison.
| sure enough" says veteran Editor
| Schoch.
| The Jeffersonian was originally a five
column quarto. Some years ago Editor
| Schoch reluctantly added n column to
| each page. Otherwise the paper remains
much as it was fifty-seven years ago,
| with the same broad and comprehensive
| mission. which, during all those years,
has been conspicuously announced on its
| first page In bold German text, between
| the date line and the heading: Devoted
| to Politics, Literature Agriculture, Sci
ence, Morality, and General Intelligence"
The Jeffersonian has never missed an is
sue When the Whig party ceased to eX-
| ist the paper became a radical and un-
| compromising advocate of the principles
| of the Republican party in the hotbed Of
| States Rights Democracy. Editor Schoch
associate judge of Monroe county, where
1000 Democratic majority in a poll of 3d.
900 has been no uncommon thing. He has
| lived to see and hep bring about a re-
suit in the political affairs of this same
| old-timo Democratic stronghold which
must have made the bones Of the dead and
gone war horses of the country's Democ-
racy turn and rattle in their graves-a
| Republican majority In the board of coun-
| ty commissioners. Even more surprising
| he has lived to see the old Tenth Le-
gion, the congressional district historic
for its steadfast 10000 Democratic ma
jorlty, retrrn a Republican as it repre-
| sentative-the incumbent.
"If l should live to be hundred" says
Editor Schoch. II couldn't have more
glory to think of than this"
81 sometimes think 1t was seeing stars
that SHE'D me into an editorial career"
he continues. 81 started out 10 be a far
mer. This was up in Pike county, in 1888,
when / was 10. l lived with George w.
| Nyce, on the Milford road. one day
word came that relative OF Nyces wife
was dead at Shawnee. Shawnee is just
above the Delaware Water Gap. The fu-
neral was to be held next day. To get
there In time the Nyces had to start very
early In the morning. got up at O. clock
| to go to the field after the horses This
was the morning of the 9Th OF November,
1873. And l saw a sightl Stars were
falling, as l thought then. as everybody
thought. The air was thick with shooting
stars. The weirdest light that ever was
shone htfully on the earth, now brighter,
now fainter. as the shooting stars less
ened or increased in numbers. The celes-
| tial pyrotechnics filled me with awe, as
you may well imagine. l can't express