The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-06-25
JOURNALISTS.

.
haired contemporary down on the
Payette. He talks liked soft
eyed gazelle suffering from an in
lection Of choleric acid. In ten
years of observation" we never
knew him to be so saucy before.
He Just revels in odorous and
nauseating metaphor and charges
directly that we are conducting a
sort of hydraulic skunk-smelling
concern. We are filled with sus-
picion that he set about deliber-
ately to hurt our feelings, and we
are trying real hard to feel hurt
just to encourage him. But he
doesn't know how to reach our
vulnerable parts. His weapons are
too coarse and vulgar. "Billious
evacuation" and "skunks," in
literature, are on a par with
"stinkpots" in politics. Their
very nastiness indicates the de-
graded character Of their user,
and besmears him with a filth
that neither age nor additions can
remove. Our friend should learn
to be severe without covering
himself with odium. But he reads
us a lesson on proper, successful
journalism for which we are CRATE
full to degree. After twenty
long years of experience and &C
cute observation, he confesses
that he has never seen any good
result from such methods as we
employ. We are incapable of
judging what our friends standard
of good is. 1t is evident, how
ever, that twenty years of "toler-
ably close observation" has en-
abled him to produce no result
whatever, nor make the faintest
impression upon anybody. Wheth-
er this barrenness is chargeable
to beatitude or inanity is ques-
ton too delicate to bear discus
sion. In one respect though our
dapper little contemporary has
attained distinction if not reputa-
ton. There never was a wrong
so villainous or a fraud so glaring
as to disturb its composure or in
vite its censure. With equal and
impartial benevolence it cringes
before guilt and innocence, vice
and virtue. 1t never took a po-
sition in its life that it did not
abandon with the first breath of
opposition, only to retake when
pressed from the opposite side,
again to abandon and retake, I'M
til to know its attitude at any
given moment you must find out
who last pulled the string. This
is probably the lesson it has learn
ed. in twenty years of observation.
1t says; "The TRIBUNE is well
Come to n1onopolize all the aroma
of his own peculiar brand of
journalistic perfume as far as our
ambitions are concerned" Hap ]
Ply puppet. Your ambitions? A
cork drifting about on the bosom
of frog pond has more of ambi-
ton than ever fired your tranquil
soul. Again it says: "Unfor-
tunately, perhaps, our training s
has been in different SCHOOL, :
Unfortunately indeed! Little
your fond mother thought when
giving you her apron strings to
guide and support your uncertain S
feet, that she was training in you
a mental and moral habit that !
would attach you through life to
leading strings. Now, dear friend,
we want to say to you in all sim
cerity that your present station c
and success in journalism should
warn you against making any ref
erence to your past training or
long experience. Ii is no COM :
pliment to your ability or obser- !
walton, and less SO to your dis t
elimination, to attract attention to J
the fact that after twenty years of
,onscietious effort, the position and ,
you have attained is
low viewed by your most cordial