The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-10-05

town can support TWO papers. But
there must be an animus for the second
sheet, the esteemed contemporary.
Now, it would be the most natural
thing in the world for you and l to
quarrel and separate on this pending
question, in which case you would
draw out of the partnership, make a
speech against the movement and take
the lead in the opposition. And, again,
it would be the most natural thing in
the world for the opposition to want an
organ through which it could COM
municate with the people. want you
to start and edit that paper"
Dubbins gazed in mute admiration at
his partner for an instant, then ex-
exclaimed, "Dan, you're born editor!
"And you're a clam OF course"
continued the astute Daniel, 1--WE would
each have an equal interest in both
papers, and-well, the people mustn't
be consulted in all questions of policy"
The announcement was printed in
The Banner the next day. That even
ing Dubbins addressed the opposition
meeting got up for the purpose. The
issue was forced. The town divided
evenly on the question, and the fight
began.
At about two o'clock A. NJ, Dubbins
crawled around by the back way to
The Banner office, and the partners
consulted long and earnestly. Next
day Dubbins preached the idea of an
opposition organ to the postmaster and
few more paving opponents. AS
Dan had predicted, they bit, and a
week later the paper made it's appear
ance. They named it the RoarerSuille
Clarion. Dubbins controlled it abso-
lutely, but he gathered around him an
advisory committee of antipavers TO
assist in managing the sheet and to
give it prestige.
Oh, the beautiful journalistic war
that followed Edtorially The Banner
dubbed the editor of The Clarion a
pullback, an enemy O.. progress, moss
covered, effete eastern and a clam.
Editorially the editor of The Clarion
dubbed the editor of The Banner tool
of the capitalists, a plotter, jobber
and an enemy of true western clviliza-
ton. In the hours before the dawn of
day Dan and Dubbins met, smoked
composed their broadsides and laid
plans for the future. The propavers
bought The Banner and the antipavers
bought The Clarion, and both sides
bought copies of the opposition sheet
to learn what the enemy was doing and
saying.
That fight raised the two papers to
the top notch OF success. The two edi-
tors met on the street. Hot words
passed. Dubbins struck Dan, Dan hit
back, their respective followers took
sides, and free fight followed. In
the confusion the two editors slipped
out and escaped to their offices.
"You hit me pretty hard, Dan," said
Dubbins several hours later as they
communed in The Banner sanctum.
"We agreed to tap easy"
II had strong provocation," respond
ed the other. "YOur first blow was a
singer"
"What was the result?"
"Very variously hurt, thirteen ar
rested, the Calculations will advance
about two hundred copies and there is
warrant out for your arrest"
1.-THE dickensl" (Edited.)
Don't be alarmed. I'll see you out
of it,"
Dubbins was arrested. But Dan
scornfully refused to prosecute him.
The whole community now knew what
kind of man the low down editor OF
The Clarion was he said. Sending him
to the lookup could not possibly do any
good. 1t would rather have a tendency
TO make make martyr of the scamp
among his misguided followers. Dub.
bios was accordingly discharged.
The propavers won. But the war
didn't end there. Now that wouldn't
have been journalistic, The fight was
waged more furiously than ever. All.
ter another conference between the two
editors, The Banner proposed that
Roarersville erect new schoolhouse
Emboldened by its success in defeating
the will of the people once, The Bonne,
was evidently intent on doing it again
And the second fqht was on. Criminal
proaigacy, said The CLARION.
Those two ably-edited journals be.
gan to circulate all over the country
A new census gave Roarersvile a total
of 5000 inhabitants, and this immense
gain over the previous figures was at.
tributed directly to the boom started by
the two wide awake newspapers. The
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