Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-12-14

tLt Z. ..a-Et. I he LcW~bt vs. were IcCeS-
sarilv sufferers through the action he
had taken. Why should they lose money
by it, They were not to blame. he was
rich man and could afford TO put a
little brightness into their lives II he
chose to DO it. He believed as he went
on his way home that Jesus would have
done either what he did or something
similar in order to be free from any
possible feeling Of injustice He was
not deciding these questions for any
one else, but for his own conduct lie
was not in position TO dogmatiZe, and
he felt that he could answer only with
his own Judgment and conscience as to
his Interpretation Of Jesus probable
action The falling off in sales Of the
paper he had in a certain measure fore
seen, but he was yet to realize the full
extent Of the loss to the paper if such
policy should be continued.
During the week he was in receipt Of
numerous letters commenting on the
absence from The News Of the account
of the prizehxht. Two or three of these
letters may be of interest.
Editor Of The News:
Dear SIR nave bttl 0tGttAlll- l3f at44e NtA-@ ~
change my paper. / want a journal that is up TO
the times. progressive and enterpri=ine, supply
ing the pu-.ic demand at all points The recent
freak of your paper in refusing 10 print the ac-
count of tin fal1aus contest AZ the Resort has
decided me fu-lly to change my paper Please
discontinue it. Very truly yours, -.
Here followed the name Of business
man who had been a subscriber for
many years
Edward Norman, Editor Of The Daily News, Ray
m8ud.
Dear Ed-What is this sensation you have given
the people Of your burg2 Hope you don't intend
to iry the reform business through the avenue
Of the press It's dangerous to experiment much
along that line Take my advice and stick TO
the euterprisins modern methods you have made
30 successful Tor The News. The public wsuts
prizelghts and such. Give it what It wants and
let some one else DO the reforming business.
Yours,
Here followed the name of one Of
Normans 5 old friends, the editor of a
daily in an adjoining town.
Ny Dear Sir. Norman-I hasten to write you
note Of apprcc: .tion for the evident carrying out
Of your promise. It is splendid beginning. and
70 one feels the value Of It better than do.
know something Of what it will cost you, but not
all Your pastor HENRY MAXWELL
One letter which he opened imnedi
ately after reading this from Maxwell
revealed to him something Of the loss to
his business that possibly awaited him.
Mr. Edward Norman. Editor Of The Daily News:
Dear Sr-At the expiration of my advertising
limit sou VIII 10 the favor not TO continue as
you have doac heretofore. incl1se check for
payment IN full and shall consider my account
with your paper closed after dHte. Very truly
yours,
Here followed the name of one Of the
largest dealers in tobacco in the city.
He had been in the habit of inserting a
column of conspicuous advertising and
paying for it very large price.
Edward Norman laid this letter down
very thoughtfully. and then after mo-
ment he tool; up a copy Of his paper
and looked through tho advertising col
| umns There was no connection i'm
piled in the tobacco merchants letter
between tho omission Of the prizefight
and the Withdrawal IF the advertise
ment, but he could not avoid putting
the two together In point of fact, he
afterward learned that the tobacco deal
or withdrew his advertisement because
he had heard that the editor Of The
News was about to enter upon some
queer reform policy that would be GER
tain to reduce its subscription list.
But the letter directed Norman's at
tention to the advertising phase of his
paper. He had not considered this be
fore. AS he glanced over the columns
he could not escape the conviction tsat
Jesus could not permit some Of them in
his paper. What would jesus do with
| that other long advertisement of liquorI
Raymond enjoyed system of high Ii
cense and the saloon and the billiard
hall and the beer garden were part of
the city's Christian civilization. He
was simply doing what every other
business man in Raymond did, and it
was ono of tho best paying sources of
revenue What would the paper do.if
| 1t cut these outH Could it liver That
was tho question. But-was that the
| question, after all? "What would Jesus
| dor" That was the question he was an
swering, or trying'to answer, this week.
| Would Jesus advertise whisky and to
b9cco in his paperY
Edward Norman asked it honestly,
| Ind after prayer for help and wisdom
Clark came in feeling that the paper
was at "a crisis and prepared for almost
anything after his Monday morning ex-
perience. This was Thursday.
"Clark, " said Norman, speaking
| slowly and carefully, ~ have been
| looking at our advertising columns and
| have decided to dispense with some Of
| the matter M soon as the contracts run
out wish you would notify the ad-
| vertising agent not 10 solicit or renew
| the ads / have marked here.
He handed the paper with tho marked
| places over to Clark, who took ii and
! looked over tho columns with n very
serious air.
This will mean great loss Go The
News How long do you think you can
Keep this sort Of thing upF" Clark was
astonished at the editors action and
could not understand it.
''Glnrk, do you think if Jesus We're
the editor and proprietor of daily pa
per in Raymond he would print adver-
| tisements Of whisky and tobacco in it1'
Clark looked Mt his chief with that
| same look of astonishment which had
greeted the question before.
"Wcll, no; don't suppose he would.
| But what has that TO do with ual We
can't do as he would Newspapers can t
be run on any such basis. -
"Why not2" asked Edward Norman
quietly
"Why not2 Because they will losc
moro money than they make that =
all " Clark spoke ont with IN irritation
that he really felt eve ahall certainly
bankrupt the paper with this sort Of
business policy.
"Do you think Bo2" Norman asked
the question not as if ho expected an
answer, but simply rs If hc were talk
ing with himself After n pause he
said
"You may direct Marks to do as |
said / believe il Ia what Jesus would
do, and, as | told you, Clark, that IS
what | have promised TO try 10 do for n
year. regardless Of what the results
may bc 60 me. | cannot believe that by
any kind Of reasoning we could reach
conclusion justifyinR Jesus in the ad
| vcrtiscmcnt in this age of whisky and
tobacco in a newspaper. There are some
other advertisements of doubtful
character / shall study into Mean
while | feel conviction in regard 10
these that cannot bo Bilcnccd -
Clark went back TO his desk feeling
| ou 60 la. had hsgr, in tba tlrgggnrp pf fl