The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-01-14
Mr.. SMITH, TOO, has
GONE TO TIE WALL.
FATHER OF THE LATER CHERRY
TREE" IDEA ASSIGNS.
His Touching Valedictory-Refers to His
Webb Perfecling Press. The AS
sign Issues a Notice to the
Creditors.

of "the iather of them alr"-the
Smith newspaper concern of Monti-
cello, Fla, which is the first of the
''get-rich quick" schemes to be
started. The napkin ring concerns
! and other abortive infringements on
the Smith copyright have been fail,
| ing and now comes the announcement
that Smith has made an assignment.
For several weeks he has been slow
in making remittances, and now his
agents are being informed that they
are apt to come out losers in this
matter. Smiths valedictory is very
affecting, has touching" ring about
it. He is, or was, the publisher of
the Weekly Constitution and the
Monthly Reporter, notoriously ''sor-
ry" papers, but they have brought
him over 10000 subscribers through
his system Of giving employmet to
do writing a. home. Some Of these
agents in Columbia are sadly in need
of the money which they put into the
business and would almost be willing
to sacrifice their claims for pay for
work done if they could get back the
money advanced.
The last of Smiths venture is sum-
med up in the following statement
which he issued under date of jan
uary 4:
To the Public:
Leaving the University of Georgia
| in 1890. I moved to Monticello and
in few years afterwards-1 haven't
| the exact day before me, but seven or
eight years ago. I took charge of
| the Monticello Weekly Constitution,
| and have continuously edited and
| published that paper to the present
time.
When I took charge of that paper
it had less than one thousand sub.
scribers, and by continuous hard
work have increased it's circulation to
10000 or more: was rapidly build
ing up large job printing busin ess
and had a prospect Of doing about
$4,000 worth of advertising per
annum.
In October, 1901, I bought and
moved to Monticello the best news
paper press-a Webb perfecting-in
Florida, with the exception of one in
Jacksonville. I also purchased other
costly and valuable machinery with
| which to operate the plant, and have
/ nearly completed new building, all
at a heavy expense.
Monticello being small place it
was necessary that large per cent
| of our business in the way Of sub
scribers, job printing and advertising,
| come from a distance. To get this
business it was necessary to have re-
| presentatives in the territory from
which we expected patronage.
The business was gradually in
creasing and promised well up to a
few months ago. At that time l
encou ntered some opposition, but
by continues and persistent effort
managed to withstand it for awhile.
This opposition came from parties OF
newspapers who were and are not
personally acquainted with me and
who had no correct conception OF my
work, from parties whose main hope
of keeping their own heads up, de,
pends on pulling down the heads OF
others. Their unfriendly criticisms
consisted of statements and publ
cations that were wholly untrue, and
without the slightest foundation. In
| fact, statements that were conceived
in malace, made in jealousy, and cir
culated with q desire and hope to in
jure.
| As above stated, was able to with
stand this opposition for time, but
to do so was compelled to toll day
and night, which under the strain :
| have had to 60, has seriously I'M
paired my health. I am now unable
to give the business the energy ano
attention necessary for it's successful
continuation under the difficulties
briefly mentioned.
] Had it not been for this opposi