The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-21

l .GfNFxTN 7 "a KY 'P z V U hold a paying subscription list. When | we read the editorial utterances and news columns of metropolitan journalo.
 we rarely know what particular indi- vidual is behind the pen-in fact It matters not who is--the true gauge is not who-but what. It cannot be de- nied that the popular journal is the one which imparts the most informa- ton from a news value standpoint. with the greatest accuracy and quick | est speed.
 To bring these ideas down to a focus, it follows that the popular jour. nal is the most successful as busi- ness venture. Its success as such de- bends to a vital extent on its popular l ity with the people-its popularity is measured by the amount and value oi I the information 1t imparts, the accu- racy of same, and the Qutckness of 1 transmission--its dignity and it's sta bility in the confidence of the public depends upon the sincerity, individu- ality and solidity of its editorial opin- | ions and utterances regardless of from what particular source they may em- 1 anate.
 All these ideas apply equally as forcibly to the country newspaper as to the metropolitan-in fact, more forci- bly.
 The question has been asked almost | from tine time whereof the memory of man runneth $. to the contrary: Wherein listh the great strength of the press?' and the answer Is echoed from million tongues: "The principal power of the pen as the lever that moves the world, is in the country press"
 It is the country newspaper that l moulds and controls the great bulk of public opinion-it should never permit 1 itself to be controlled by it. It is the country newspaper that checks or bal ances its city contemporary. It is the country newspaper that finds It's way | to the remote mountain hamlet, and is read by every reading member of the backwoods family by the light of a | pine-knot fire. It is the country news paper that leads the mountaineer | farmer to town to vote for John Smith | for Governor, because he saw the latter was the champion of the country edi- tor. He saw 1t in his county paper-in print--aad 1t must be all right. He has never yet been fooled or led astray by his county paper-his confidence there | in is unshaken. And right here is the secret to success in country newspaper work.
 First, get the confidence of your peo- pie; second, keep 1t.
 In the matter of next vital import ance Is strict adherence to system. As order is natures first law, it should be the soul and spirit-the equity--of newspaper law. Let your mechanical | work be made to conform to a rigid system. Your place of business should be open at all times during business hours. Organization and vigilance should be your watchword in every de- pertinent. If you cannot systematize and run a country newspaper success fully, you can never hope to manage 8 city journal.
 Your business and your journal are just what you make them. It is with in your power, as a country editor, to become the biggest" man in your county # you will but press down on the long end of the lever you have at the end of your pencil-the fulcrum of public opinion is bound to remain under the pressure until you relax your efforts.
 The country editor is master of his own destiny until he departs this vale of tears''-then may the Lord have mercy cn his soul!' He is at the beck and call of railroads, politicians. patent medicine men, advertising agents and the devil generally. unless he chooses to make all these his subjects-this he can do If he will
 Posing as the country editor does, as a shaper and moulder of healthy public opinion. sl sll he stand silently by and see bribery and fIaud in elections car ried on year after year-his own fellow men. among whom he poses as an ed- ucator, bought up like sheep-and say nothing about it in his paper, because, If he does. Tom. Dick and Harry, who have |. been guilty of the frauds and valuations of the law. will stop the paper? And shall he | remain passiveiy silent while other evils are going on under his very nc Sc. be- | cause he will get or retain subscribers or advertisements if he says nothing? Most emphatically should he speak out and decry these things. If he does not | speak out he will. sooner or later, lose that essential element to journalistic success--;he thorough confidence of the | publi,.
 This illegality. fraud and bribery in elections is today one of the most dis graceful evils and retarding influences 1 in any State where 1t may exist, and the Press should with one accord sound the tocsin of reform. The ballot box should be purified and the Press Is the agent to do it. Great lawyers concede thi:
 I recall with pride a victory achieved In one county in another State, in this line. indicative of the irresistible power of the Press. There the people-all the peopIe-were convinced that no influ- ence or power could accomplish re- form to the ballot. and when called upon by that newspaper to make the fight, refused absolutely and withheld their aid. The pulpit itself held back. But the Press, in the capacity of a country newspaper, alone and single handed, fought the battle and won it, and in winning commanded the conh- dence and respect of all people of all classes. Where, for ages, corruption had existed in one seething, cauldronic mass. now is honesty dominant-the sole work of a single reformatory country newspaper against the tide of public opinion.
 If were to attempt to picture to your minds the ideal country newspa- per of today--one which would be a financial success ss a business venture and establish confidential and proper relations with the public-I would make 1t a fearless expounder of truth at all events systematic In it's mechanical get-up and thorough in it's business methods.
 I would conceive of paper with no ads" on the first page-withOut a dead ad' or a questionable lad" in it's columns--with cash in advance" subscription list large enough to pay