Middletown transcript., 1899-12-16

Dear eir-I have been deciding for some time to
change my paper. want Journal that is up to
the times, progressive and enterprising, supply
ing the public demand at all points The recent
freak Of your paper in refusing to print the ac-
count Of the famous contest at the Resort has
decided me finally to change my paper. Please
discontinue 1t. Very truly yours. - IT..
Here followed the name of a business
man who had been subscriber for
many years
Edward Norman. Editor Of The Daily News. Ray
mond:
Dear Ed-What Is this sensation you have given
the people Of your burgf Hope you don't intend
to try 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 enterprsing modern methods you have made
20 successful for The News The public wants
prizehghts and such. Give 1t what it wants and
let some one else do the reforming business
Yours,
Here followed the name of one of
Norman's old friends, the editor of a
daily in an adjoining town.
Ny Dear Mr.. Norman-I hasten to write you
note Of appreciation for the evident carrying out
Of your promise. It Is a splendid beginning, and
no 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 immedi-
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 Sir-At the expiration of my advertising
IL he fovo 0f tn
you have done heretofore ! inclose check for
payment in full and shall consider my account
with your paper closed after date. 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 thoughtfuIy, and then after mo-
ment he took up copy of his paper
and looked through the advertising col
umns. There was no connection i'm
piled in the tobacco merchants letter
between the omission of the prizehght
and the withdrawal of the advertise
ment, but he could not avoid putting
the two together. In point of fact, he
afterward learned that the tobacco deal
er 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 that
Jesus could not permit some of them in
his paper. What would Jesus do with
that other long advertisement of liquor
Raymond enjoyed system of high IL
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 one of the best paying sources of
revenue. What would the paper do il
it cut these out7 Could it liver That
was the 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-
bacco in his paperf
Edward Norman asked it honestly,
and after a prayer for help and wisdom
he asked Clark tc come into the office.
Clark came in feeling that the paper
was at crisis and prepared for almost
anything after his Monday morning ex-
perience. This was Thursday.
"Clark, said Norman, speaking
slowly and carefully. 81 have been
looking at our advertising columns and