Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-01-09
ANNOUNCEMENT.

are, or may hereafter be, interested in
the promotion OF political candidates..
And, first, let me precede the am
nouncement by a statement
During an experience Of nearly
thirteen years as proprietor of a news
paper in Vermont, | have never ac-
cepted one dollar or one cent in return
for the newspaper support that | have
given anybody for office.
have, occasionally, sold and mailed
from my office copies OF my paper
containing articles, either editorials
or communications, favoring certain
candidates For these | have never
charged or received more than would
have charged anyone else for the same
copies. The same applies to any adj
vertising done by anyone interested
in politics. | have never received
remuneration in any other way. !
have never been conscious that my
editorial expressions have been warped
by the expectation of what might re-
ceive ia these ways. | have never
sought or offered to sell extra copies
containing political articles. The sale
of such papers has been wholly in
cidental. Taken altogether, my net
profits from political sources have
s,,anVgslaRaIIn Lrnnn a nT1rnlN
business standpoint, considering the
time involved, the labor and expense
incurred, the animosities kindled and
the loss resulting, should have been
the gamer had there been no such
thing as politics.
So it is not my conscience that
prompts me.
The point is this When a person
not a subscriber to this paper receives
a copy Of it during a campaign, he
knows at once that the publisher is
not giving it to him. Somebody is
paying for it. He concludes that the
one most interested-the candidate
himself--s making it right with me.
But how? Being uniformed, he is
quite as apt to conclude that | am re-
ceiving heavy compensation tor the
service / am trying to render as to be-
lieve the truth. This idea also gains
currency among legitimate subscrib-
ers-that the editorials they read from
time to time for or against certain
people or policies are not entirely
what they purport to be, that is, the
honest ideas of the editor, but are
more or less biased by what they inn
agine | am receiving from the persons
more interested than !.
If there is anything | value in this
world it is a reputation for honesty
and sincerity. If | am doing any
thing that in any measure forfeits this
reputation among the people who read
my paper and whose good opinion
crave | will hasten to do my utmost to
avoid it.
The sale and circulation of copies
for political purposes has generally |
been considered entirely legitimate in
this state. That, generally, it is leoit-
innate, | fully believe. But recent
Developments have tended to strength |
en- my conviction that the publisher
who sells and circulates newspapers
in this manner is under suspicion, /
usually unfounded, but nevertheless
harmful.
To remove, as far as possible, all \
reasonable ground for false impress
sion, have decided to adopt the fol-
lowing rule, which will be vigorously
adhered to-
will not knowingly sell or circulate
any copies of my paper that have
reason to believe are bought on &C
count Of the editorial expressions
therein contained.
l viii add this to the other rule of
not accepting directly or indirectly
compensation of any sort for political
support given.
] appreciate that it is proper for
candidates to reach voters through the
public prints. To afford them this
opportunity, will open my columns
to any contributions or correspond
ence they desire to publish. providing
that due courtesy is exercised toward
the public and the other candidates.
| viii treat all candidates, both those
whom ! support and those whom |
oppose, fairly in this matter. For this
service / shall charge a fair rate for
the space occupied. and will ill any
orders for extra papers containing the
contributions. Every effort will be
made to inform the reader that the
column is controlled by the party pay
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