The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-21

I
 tionaI Editorial Association resulted in the selection of J. B. Stanley. w. w | Screws, R. H. Walker, G. w. Read, J. A. Rountree, Nj. W. Camper C. H | Greer. R. N. Rhodes, E. o. Nicely. Ja- I cob Pepperman. w. M. Bunting, W. H. H. Judson. As Executive Committee man. Mir. J. C. Williams has all pow CTS of delegate.
 The Country Newspaper as a Busi- 1 ness Venture.
 Mir, w. H. Gather, of the Ashvilie | Aegis. read an admirable paper on the l above subject. It was as follows:
 The Country Newspaper as d Busi- ness Venture.
 By Wm. IT. Gather.
 The newspaper of today Is distinctly | a business venture. Its establishment l is a venture requiring more or less | capital according to the magnitude of I the enterprise, and it's successful man. agement is hazardous undertaking | requiring energy. practical experience, 1 brains and minute attention to det lils. | Its success is measured in the popular measure-the amount of dollars and cents In profits 1t nets it's owners or publishers. It Is no lcnger published 1 for "the fun of the thing for the rep utation or honor to be derived there 1 from. nor usually from any particular 1 love of the work: but its publishers expect to make a living or a surplus | from the proceeds of its advertising | columns and subscription list. When l it fails to furnish either a living or a surplus above expenses, it falls short 1 of it's object and Is abandoned as a business venture.
 The journal approaching the ideal of o-called "press-reformers." is usually
 an enterprise of the imagination--a myth--and is rarely to he found, yet we are proud to say that there Is to- day among the Alabama Press, a high and broad conception of the duties of the newspaper and its relations to she public.
 There is hardly an editor within this hall that cannot recall how, at some time in his past newspaper history, he has been antagonized. persecuted,
 viliied. and perhaps boycotted, by some interruptions, blundering or dis honest politician, official or agitator, whom that editor has exposed or called down in his wild career And doubt
 less there are those among you who have iabored earnestly and faithfully for your friend, and succeeded in put
 ting him in some position of honor among his fellows, and afterwards felt
 that friend with an ingratityde "more strong than traitors arms" like a viper in your bosom, turn and sting you, because you saw proper. as was your duty to call check to his meth ods. Then, too, at times, you have
 thought that the people were a thank less people, not grateful to you fer your services in their behalf.
 But the successful newspaper must oY1fR as, tTl .n
 to the attacks of its enemies and such unjust antagonism, and keep right on in the even tenor of it's way, seeking
 to fulnll as far as possible the Jus
 tinian law. which Is a good newspaper law, ito live honestly, to render every
 man his just dues, and hurt nobody without a good and sufficient cause therefor, remembering that high grade journalism is, from its very nature, hated by many clements and classes, particularly by those whom it opposes, and the editor should reap consolation from the fact that
 "No action, whether foul or fair
 Is ever done but 1t leaves somewhere
 A record"
 Generally speaking, however, a news paper is just what it's public requires it to be, though occasionally we find 1t made just what the editor or founder thinks 1t should be and appealing and conforming to the higher classes of its readers. with a strong character behind 1t, a distinct individuality or person. ality on the part of its editor. combined with ability to pilot and sustain 1t through adversities, discouragements and the attacks of it's would-be ds- stroyers, 1t establishes for itself in course of time, a prestige and force, and commands a respect and patronage which render 1t a powerful lever in the shaping and moulding of public opinion. It then gains an influence over its readers which may he termed
 we'll nigh impregnable. With few ex-
 captions, the metropolitan journals of
 today have lost much of that individ-
 uallty which so often characteTizes and
 distinguishes the power behind the ed itorlal throne. There are few Greelcys, Wattersons and Danas. In most of the
 metropolitan journals machine edito-
 rial work preponderates. It is not in- frequently the case that we And news papers whose editorial columns are subverted for business purposes, there by losing that independence of thought
 and freedom of speech so forcible in its influence and so necessary in it's re- suits. The country newspaper mani.
 feSts more of this personality and also more originality than the city news, paper. It operates as a check upon its city contemporary. In fact there Is
 today but little individuality to be
 found outside the country journal, but
 it. also, too often allows it's opinions
 hushed, changed or subsidized by polI-
 tlcians, social scorpions and other mS -
 nipulators.
 The country newspaper is undoubted-
 ly a powerful lever in the affairs of
 the world. and if its power is sub verted to immoral purposes its bene-
 ficial influence is lost sight of and it becomes a factor, which, in improper hands, might be turned to the destruc- tion Of our governmental fabric.
 After a journal once obtains a firm hold upon the public mind-thoroughly ingratiates itself and its ideas and character in journalistic conduct into the confidence of its readers, 1t Is then avenue to both fortune and fame is opened-it would require years to pull down such a journal.
 A public journal. to be successful as a business venture has also a dignity to maintain-while 1t may lose its indl- viduality and become entirely severed from the individual who poses as edi- tor it must not lose it's dignity. There is need for just as much dignity in the conduct of q newspaper ns there Is on the judicial bench. The country editor can no more afford to sacrifice his dig nifty than the country judge. When an opinion is given 1t should be main tained and never retracied except in