Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-05-30
Vol. XIII, No. 1.


Vol. XIII, No. 1.
The BANNER has turned another
milestone in its history and with this
issue enters upon its thirteenth year,
and il celebrates the event by don
ming a complete new dress of type.
During all the years that have pissed
the writer has been continuously con-
nected with its management and has
aimed to publish clean, bright and
newsy family paper, thoroughly
covering the local field, and faithful
ly reporting the legitimate news.
The years that have gone have
wrought great changes in Bedding
and the BANNER has had its part in
assisting TO bring about and in record
ing many of the changes. 1t an
nounced its motto in the initial issue
as Bedding first and the world after
ward. 1t has stuck to its text in sea-
son and out of season,and has cndeay-
ored at all times to advocate and up
hold that which was for the best in
terests of our city and calculated to
advance the prosperity of its people,
according to the light given Us. The
paper has been accorded fair share
of the general prosperity during this
time and has no complaints or apollo
gies to make. New machinery. type,
and other materialin abundant guam
titles has been added as fast as the
increasing business or improved
methods demanded. We can say
truly and without fear of contradic-
ton that few country offices in this
state or any other are as well equip
ped as ours.
NJ
The BANNER has many staunch
friends; we are grateful to them.
There are those who honestly differ
with us; we admire and respect them
for their honesty. We have some
enemies who hate us because they
cannot use us: we despise them and
fear them not. The BANNERS edit
orial opinions are not on the market
to be bought by the highest bidder.
1t fights for the right as we see it and
never deserts a friend. There are
certain duties that devolve upon d
local newspaper and these duties we
aim to fulfill.
~
The best newspapers deserve As
much credit for what they on'tpub-
lish as for what they do. There are,
of course, sensational happenings in
every community, which, might be
written up in way to make racy
reading, and which would, no doubt,
delight certain class of readers.
But the BANNER has always made it
a point to keep it's columns free from
scandal and all that which will tend
to lower its standard as a clean home
paper. This policy has been rigidly
adhered to in the past and will be
continued as long as the paper re-
mains under the present manage
ment.
~
Newspaper Offices cannot be run
as they were twenty years ago. Boys
do not work year or two for their
board as they once did, and wages in
the city are such the country pub
Usher must also pay good wages to
keep competent help. Advertisers
and business men will not accept
work performed with the facilities
that were deemed adequate even ten
years ago. The hand press, which
used to be good enough is now back
number and the modern country news
paper must be printed on a power
press costing from 5000 to 81 900. The
Office must keep up with the times
and buy several hundred dollars
worth of type and other material
every year to do acceptable printing.
And while the expenses thus increase
the competition becomes stronger
and keener, cutting off few dollars
worth of work here and there or com
pelling the country printer TO accept
lower prices than before. How to al
so reduce the price of his paper to
meet this demand and yet make the
business pay fair rate of interest
on his investment and a proper re-
turn for the labor of brain or Drawn
which the business entails, Is the
problem which continually confronts
him. His rent gets no lower: his in
surance, taxes, help, paper. type, ink
and the other hundred and one ex-
penses are no less.
~
We thank our patrons and friends
for their very liberal support in the
past and shall endeavor to continue
to receive it by meritorious service.
Hereafter Ionia county will have
only one representative in the state
legislature, bill having been passed