Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-06-21
WAR OF THE ASTERISKS.
Business Office Strategy and Editorial Acu-
men Swelled Golfers.

n
Business Office Strategy and Editorial Acu-
men Swelled Golfers.
New York Sun.
"It didn't take much to kick up q
row in my town, where my father was
the editor of the paper" said the son,
who lives in New York.
"You wouldn't think" he continued,
"that an asterisk at the end of polit-
lcal announcement would set people
to wondering. Well, it did, or they
did, for there was several asterisks.
There was no primaries or conventions
at the time of which l speak. When
man wanted an Office he announced
the fact in the newspapers. Some.
times call would be printed, signed
by number of taxpayers and promi-
nent citizens, urging some man to al
low his name to be used in the ensuing
election.
."The announcements began to ap-
pear about si4 weeks before the elec'
ton. They helped out the exchequer
wonderfully. often heard my father
say, when he was pressed to buy
something for the home, wait until
the political announcements come in
"The asterisk war of which / spoke
occurred the year before the civil war.
The announcements had appeared
sooner than usual. The asterisk ap-
peared at the end of some announce
ments, and the question of that day
was: what is the meaning of the
star in Squire Blanks announce
ment?"
II remember several citizens called
at my fathers house that night and
asked, in the most serious manner, if
Squire Blank was all right on the
goose That was the query of that
age when you wanted to know if a
man stood well socially politically or
financially. In this case it referred to
the 'Secesh' proclivities of Squire
Blank. My father Informed the citi-
zen that be was glad to say that Squire
Blank was all right on the goose
"'Then there is Judge Dash, said
the chairman of the committee, 'he is
not all right on the goose My faith
er FASTENED to correct the chairman
by saying that Judge Dash was one
of the very first men of the town to
get all right on the goose. While the
committee was trying to satisfy itself
at the sideboard, Squire Blank rush
ed in without waiting even to pass the
compliments of the day and, thump-
ing on the table, he asked vehemently:
See here, what do you mean by saying
in your paper that I am mot all right
on the goose?'
"Before my father had chance to
explain, Judge Dash rushed in with all
the characteristics of a fighter. He
didn't stop to say anything about the
weather, but bristled up and demand
ed to know why The Cycle-that was
the name of the paper-had intimated
that he was not all right on the goose.
By that time that was the unani'
NOUS inquiry in the room. My faith
er had put on some war paint by that
time and demanded an explanation.
If it's a joke he said, 'all right, and
the sideboard is open. But if you have
come to me seriously about this, tell
me what you mean, for I'm id if l
know.
"'Squire Blank was the first to be
heard It's this way he said.
when The Cycle came out with my
announcement it had a star after my
name, and some of my neighbors said
that spotted me as not all right on the
goose. Now, what did you mean by
that?'
"sYes, and what in the Dickens did
you mean by not putting one after my
name?' broke in Judge Dash. My
friends came numbering into my court
room this morning and wanted to
know if I wasn't all right. on the
goose, and said that The Cycle said
was not, and that no star following
an announcement meant that the can
didate is not all right on the goose
and it has cost me 81 to prove l am
what / am
My father gave hearty laugh that
shook the shoppers out of the decan-
ters and explained: why, my dear
friends, it is business office matter
You see we have a new rule in the
business office that where a man pays
in advance for his advertisement or
announcement the book keeper puts
an asterisk on it and the printer sets
it up, so when the bookkeeper goes to
post he does it from the paper, don t
you see? Asterisk, cash no asterlsk,
credit. That's all. Have something
with me, gentlemen" :,
"At the top of the first editorial COL
umn of The Cycle the next day was
this paragraph.
Politically every candidate VINO
announces in The Cycle is all right on
the goose
"And it was but a few days before
an asterisk was at the end of every
announcement. 1t was what my faith
er called business Office strategy, link
ed to editorial perspicuity.' "
WHAT LIQUID AIR WILL Do
Th;,k- kettle of liouid air on q cake