People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1899-11-02
BY Charles NJ Sheldon.

He sent word for Clark and the other
men in the Office, including the few re-
porters who were in the building and
the foreman, with what men were in
the composing room Ut was early in the
morning, and they were not all in), to
come into the mailing room This was
large room, and the men came in,
wondering, and perched around on the
tables and counters It was very I'M
usual proceeding, but they all agreed
that the paper was being run on new
principles anyhow, and they all watched
Mr.. Norman curiously as he spoke.
81 called you in here to let you know
my plans for the future of The News l
propose certain changes which believe
are necessary. / understand that some
things l have already done are regarded
by the men as very strange. l wish to
state my motive in doing what l have
done" Here he told the men what he
had already told Clark, and they stared,
as he had done, and looked as painfully
conscious
"Now, in acting On this standard Of
conduct l have reached a conclusion
which will no doubt cause some sur
prise. l have decided that the Sunday
morning edition of The News shall be
discontinued after next Sundays issue.
| shall state in that issue my reasons
for disseminating. In order to make up
to the subscribers the amount of read
ing matter they may suppose them
selves entitled to, we can issue a double
number on Saturday, as is done by very
many evening papers that make no at
tempt at a Sunday edition l am con-
WINGED that, from Christian point of
view, more harm than good has been
done by our Sunday morning paper. |
do not believe that Jesus would be re-
sponsible for it if he were in my place
today. 1t will occasion some trouble to
arrange the details caused by this
change with the advertisers and sub
scribers. That is for me to look after
The change itself is one that will take
place. So far as / can see, the loss will
fall on myself. Neither the reporters
nor the pressmen need make any par
ticular changes in their plans. -
Edward Norman looked around the
room, and no one spoke. He was struck
for the first time in his life with the
fact that in all the years Of his news
paper life he had never had the force of
the paper together in this way. "Would
Jesus do that? That is, would he prob
ably run newspaper on some loving
family plan where editors, reporters,
pressmen and all met to discuss and de-
wise and plan for the making of a paper
that should have in View
He caught himself drawing almost
away from the facts of typographical
unions and Office rules and reporters
enterprise and all the cold businesslike
methods that make a great daily sue
cessful But still the vague picture
that came up in the mailing room
would not fade away, even when he
had gone into his Office and the men
had gone back to their places with won
der in their looks and questions of all
sorts on their tongues as they talked
over the editors remarkable actions.
Clark came in and had a long serious
talk with the chief. He was thoroughly
reused, and his protest almost reached
the point of resigning his place. Nor.
man guarded himself carefully. Every
minute of the interview was painful t.
him, but he felt more than ever the ne.
cessity of doing the Christlike thing.
Clark was a very valuable man. II
would be difficult to fill his place But
he was not able to give any reasons for
continuing the Sunday paper that an
swered the question, "What would
Jesus doH" by letting Jesus print that
edition.
ut comes to this, then" said Clark
finally. "You will bankrupt the paper
in 80 days We might as well face that
future fact. -
81 don't think we shall. Will YOU
stay by The News until 1t is bank.
rupt9" asked Edward Norman, with
strange smile.
'Mr Norman, l don't understand
you You are not the same man this
week that l ever knew
81 don't know myself either. Clark
Something remarkable has caught me
up and borne me on, but l was never
more convinced of final success and
power for the paper You have not an.
swered my question Will you stay
with mel"
Clark hesitated moment and finally
said "Yes. Norman shook hands with
him and turned to his desk. Clark wen,
back into his room stirred by a number
OF conflicting emotions He had never
before known such an exciting ana
mentally disturbing week, and he felt
now as if h. were connected with an
enterprise that might at any moment
collapse and ruin him aud all connected
with it.
Sunday morning dawned again on
Raymond. and Henry Maxwell's church
was again crowded. Before the service
began Edward Norman attracted gen
eral attention. He sat quietly in his
usual place about three seats from tbs
pulpit. The Sunday morning issue of