The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-05
Story Qf Advertiser Told by Major w. w. Screws

particular and a marked improvement was visible as soon as he commenced to work upon the paper. His knowl- edge of Alabama affairs, as we'll as those of a general nature, gained by his experience for several years as editor of The Tuscaloosa Intelligenccr aided him in furnishing the best news paper which had, up to that date, been published in Montgomery.
 It seems to have been impossible in Montgomery for any one to remain long on a Montgomery paper in those days as MT. Mcclure disposed of his interest in April. 1884, MT. Belser and Mir. Lee becoming the purchasers. This partnership. however. was an unusually long one. lasting nearly two years. Mir. Belser was a law yer, with a fine practice in Mont- gomery and adjoining counties.
 When he was away the editorial care fell into the hands of MT. Childs and as he was not as prudent and conser- vative as MT. Belser, the result was frequent sparring with MT. Pettitt, who then edited The Journal, and oc- casionally street encounters. Childs, after disposing of his interest in the . 1886. moved to Texas and died some years after in that State.
 On January l. 1886, the experiment of publishing paper oftener than once a week was tried by the proprie- tors of The Advertiser and Gazette. For a short while they tried 1t twice a week, but the experiment was not satisfactory and it soon ceased. It uf hf al Planters Gazette was dropped, the paper being called The Montgomery Advertiser. Mir. Belser conducted the paper alone until the summer of 1S37 when Mir. Marcellus Farmer of Syracuse, New York. bought half interest. He was practical printer and fine business man and under his careful supervision the paper made some money, something that had not happened up to that time. Mir. Far mer was also a capital writer and could fill the editorial chair during the absence of MT. Belser. attending the courts of neighboring' counties.
 Mir. Farmer disposed of his interest on January 1, 1S4O and moved to New York, where he was associated with Horace Greeley during the first year of existence of The New York Tribune. He established The Onon- daga Standard at Syracuse. N. Y. It was a staunch Democratic paper and decidedly successful as business venture.
 In 1S49 Mir. Farmer went to Cali fornia and is said to have amassed quite a fortune in that State. QUESTIONS.
 The purchaser of Mr. Farmers in- terest in The Advertiser was MT. John T. walshe. an educated, schol- arly Irishman, who had taught school for some years in Georgia and Alabama. He proved to be quite an able editorial writer and contrib uted largely to the success of Van Buren in Alabama in the memorable campaign of 1S40. His partnership with MT. Belser lasted about seven years, the editorial work largely de- volving upon him. The great meas ures of those days were the tariffs of 1S42 and 1S46, the annexation of Texas and the Oregon question and they were ably discussed in the columns of the two papers. The Advertiser was a strong supporter "of Polk, Dal- las and Texas" in the campaign of 1S44 and did its full share in securing the electoral vote of the State for the Democratic ticket.
 Mir. Belser was elected to Congress as a Democrat. serving from 1S41 to 1S43 He died January 16. 1859. In 1S47 he retired from the field of journal ism. Mr. Mccormick at that time re- moved his paper. The Flag of the Union, from Tuscaloosa to Montgonp, cry. purchased MT. Belser's interest in The Advertiser, and the two papers were united under the name of The Flag and Advertiser. with a firm name of Walshe and Mccormick The latter was an experienced newspaper man having some thirteen years before es tablished The Alabama Beacon at Greensboro. then in Greene and now in Hale. From that point he removed to Tuscaloosa, where he conducted The Flag and Union. Messrs Walshe and Mccormick were able writers and made the paper a far greater force in