Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-05-16
Wa5hington Standard
OLYMPIA. WASH.
FRIDAY EVENING, MAI l6, 1902.
Olympia Newspapers.

Olympia Newspapers.
1t never has been otherwise than
that the newspaper field was fully
covered in this city, from the instltu-
ton Of the Colombian, in lSJl, to the
advent of the Ercning Recorder, which
made It's appearance this week.
The Coiumbian was the product OF
the cas-, off garb of the Orcg0nian,
Ramage press and few leases" OF old
type. Still, notwithstanding it was
better than the district which the
northern half OF Oregon could stand
sponsor for, the prospect OF div islon
Territory with its incidental and
legislative printing, WA. fat" which
exhaled such ,avory odor, that
opposition came in the shape OF a
Washington hand press and few
fonts OF new type, owned by X. l..
DOYLE, even before the Columbian,
(whose name had in the meantime
been changed to the Pioneer had had a
lick ut the fry-pan. The established
publishers did a wise thing in imme-
diately making q tender to Mr.. Doyle
OF partnership, and the result was the
Pioneer and Democrat, which for many
years absorbed" at each annual ses.
sion of the Legislature from $4,000
to $I2,0 900 for incidental" legislative
printing, nearly all of which was squan-
dered in the saloons. In fact, very
little was saved except by Mr.. T. F. Nc
Elroy and Mr.. II. l.. Doyle. The for
mer attained wealth, from careful in
vestment OF his earnings and Mr.. Doyle
became rover and spent his share in
travel and change of abode.
The Pioneer and Democrat occupied
the field alone till the fall of 1860,
when the STANDARD appeared, the
former paper suspending after a six
months contest for the very small
local cherry; the national administra.
ton having changed and made I'M
avavilable any further pull on national
resources.
Since then score or more of papers
have had brief, if not brilliant,
careers, in the contest for a patron.
age which has always been over-rated
from the ability displayed by several
publishers to "turn all honest penny"
in other lines. The fact that Mr..
McElroy made fortune was attribut.
ed solely to his connection with q
printing Office, when it was due to
shaving notes." loaning money at
the then prevailing high rates of inter-
est, two per cent. per month being
common and from that to four per
cent. being charged for financial &C.
commodation," the two bankers" in
the Territory being w. w. Miller and
7. +. McElroy.
The STANDARD had several small
slices at the public printing, or it
would have been overwhelmed by
debt, the first decade of its existence.
Afterwards several small Offices came
to its publisher, affording a small
capital on which to speculate. This
enabled him to build and nearly pay
for Olympia Theater; but high taxes
and Shylock interest: during the de.
preston OF the middle COS absorbed
the small savings OF lifetime. Refer.
ence is made to this matter to demon.
strate that the newspaper business
was not the cause of accumulation of
a few thousand dollars capital, if it
was the origin of \ train Of events
which led to that result.
At various times our city has seen the
need of a daily paper to subserve her
special local interests. Such an occa-
sion arose in 1890, when the STANDARD
made contract with promoters of a
boom for publishing the Daily Oiym.
plan on a guaranteed subsidy of $500
per month and all that could be made
outside Of that sum. How much that
enterprise contributed to the over
whelming vote cast for Olympia for
capital can only be surmised. but sent
out broadcast, it has been accredited
by observing people, with having been
a potent factor in attaining that re.
suit. Many times since then the SER
vice has been rendered by its namesake
the present Oympian-under other
management.
The STANDARD has always advocated
support of the Oympian as q local
aid, and has freely accorded it patron.
age that might have come to itself
with little effort. Considerable pat
ronage has been afforded the daily az
manager Of the theater, and in other
capacities as a matter OF duty as a
citizen.
It is evident that there is not o
field, nor sacks" that will perma-
nently sustain, two daily papers. 1t
is, therefore, considered matter of
duty by the writer to sustain the one
that has fought valiantly for our
local interests in times past. 1t is a
legitimate venture, for it has stayed
long enough to show that it can live
upon business patronage. 1t has been
equipped with the latest improved ma
chinery, and has developed into a very
creditable representative of a much
larger community than ours. The
Recorder we believe to be the mere
mouthpiece of party am bition as we'll