The river press., 1902-12-31
CHRISTMAS EDITIONS.

The publication of hand some Christ
mas editions by several enterprising
Montana newspapers shows remark
able progress in that particular in.
dustry in this part of the northwest.
Twenty years ago the average Mon
tana newspaper man approached the
task of getting out a sixteen-pa
effort with fear and trembling: his
mechanical facilities were compara'
lively poor, his literary resources
were limited, and the financial returns
from the undertaking promised to
create a deficit in his bank account.
Many attempts in this direction were
made, however, and the Christmas
editions of Montana newspapers pub
lished in the early eighties-while
much inferior in every respect to the
mammoth and artistic products Of
more recent times-were highly credit
able to those who issued them under
such discouraging and embarrassing
conditions.
Christmas editions of Montana news
papers-as we'll as those published
daily or weekly, as the case may be-
are improving from year to year, and
those that were circul ated the past few
days show a standard of excellence
that will be appreciated by old-time
newspaper men in particular. Never
before has the Montana public been
presented with such Christmas ban
quet of seasonable literary contribu-
tions, artistic illustr ations and fin
ished typographical effects, as were
day editions of Montana newspapers.
A mere matter of bulk is not the
measure of newspaper merit in these
days of Mergenthal and modern per-
fecting press equipment. A discrimi.
mating public awards the prize for su
periority to the publication that gives
ter and pictorial designs, and in these
respects, we think, several Montana
newspapers scored a splendid success
this season.
First and foremost among the Christ
mas editions of Montana newspapers
is that of the Anaconda Standa ard !,
which was a surprise and delight to
its numerous friends and admirers
throughout the northwest. It's ninety
pages of news and literary matter and
illustrations constituted the finest
Christmas edition ever issued by a
Montana publication. The color
work and artistic merit of the illustra'
tions presented in the Christm as
Standard are conceded to be far su.
perior to anything ever before at
tempted in Montana in tn at connection.
The Christmas Stand ard was the hand.
soonest, the brightest, the largest and
the best Montana newspaper ever is
sued from the press in this state.
The Butte Miner, with its oO-pagc
Christmas edition, also scored a sue
cess. It's publication involved an
amount of work which only a practic'
al newspaper man can fully appreci'
ate, and the work was we'll and et1ci'
emily performed. The Miner, how
ever, seems to lack perfection in its
mechanical departments disadvant'
age which spoiled the "brilliant finish
effect of its Christmas edition.
Excellent Christmas numbers were
also published by the Helena Record
the Great Falls Tribune and Leader
the Lewistown Argus, and few other
Montana newspapers. The expense O.
such special efforts is met in mos
cases by unusually liberal advertising
patronage, and where such encourage
ment can be had the publication Of ;
Christmas edition becomes a profitable
business venture. 1t means big 10
of work, however, to the enterprisins
publishers, and those who fail of ade
ouate financial returns are compen
stated to some extent by words of com
mend alton and praise from those who
appreciate their efforts to print goo,
Christmas newspaper.