Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-27

which is a cooperative affair, but !,
this, while an invulnerable adjunct,
is really small item in the total eX-
pense of great paper. 1t simply
does on small scale what can and
should be done on a large scale"
"You would have syndicate of pa
pers-one paper in each of the large
Cities" suggested Mr. Morton.
81 would have syndicate which
would own two papers in all cities
having populations in excess of 100,-
O0O," replied Mr.. Hestor.
Eyes, l see. One republican and one
democratic paper in each city.
Ah-um-m That would be quite a
plan" said Mr.. Morton, drawing his
hand slowly over his stubbled chin.
Both under one general manage
ment, suppose?"
Certainly"
''Have you made any general esti-
mates of the expense of such plan,
or prepared any synopsis of the way
in which it could be executed" asked
| Mr.. Morton, with the first manifesto
| ton of real interest.
81 did not care to go to the trouble
and expense of doing so until ] had
a conference with you,'' replied Hes
| tor, who guarded himself against
over-enthusiasm when he saw that
he had made some progress. ut will
require considerable capital, much
work, and good Judgment in the exc
cution of the plans; and more than
ALL the most rigid secrecy must be
maintained. You are the only man
to whom this subject has been
preached, and l need not ask you to
regard this matter as strictly conf
dental in case you should decide to
do nothing in the way of it's advance
ment."
Mr.. Morton nodded his head and
growled a consent to this injunction,
which he evidently regarded as I'M
necessary.
81 would start this syndicate in a
chain of 80 cities, with two papers in
EACH" continued Mr.. Hestor, who
rapidly noted list. Here are the
/ cities / have in mind: New York,
Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia, Bal
timore, Washington, Rochester, Buff
falo, Atlanta, New Orleans, Louis
Vile, Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Cleveland,
Detroit, indianapolis, Chicago, Mil
waullee, st. Paul or Minneapolis, st.
Louis, Omaha, Galveston, Kansas
City, Denver, Helena, Seattle, Taco
ma, Portland, San Francisco and Los
Angeles"
Mr.. Hestor then entered into a de-
tailed and comprehensive explanation
of the proposed newspaper trust. lie
submitted figures showing that GO pa,
pers could be purchased for less than
$115 1000, and proved that these pa.
pers were then earning $7,50o,0O0 a
year, or more than five per cent. OF
the required investment. Hestor pro
posed retrenchment in three impor'
tant departments, viz: the Sunday
r papers, the editorial STATS, and the
abolition of the advertising agency
Instead of preparing 60 Sunday pa.
pers, the syndicate would print four
each of surprising excellence. These
four papers would give all syndicate
papers in contiguous territory dis
tinct Sunday paper. Each of these
four Sunday papers would have {
marked speciality, and each would
| strongly appeal to certain class o!
readers. One would make a special
j ty of amusements; another of litera
ture; the third of fiction, and thu
. fourth of science and art-but eacl
i would be a complete magazine. Hes
l. tor showed that four such Sunda,
) magazines could afford to employ thu
: highest literary and artistic genius
of the world, and proved that NJ
5 competition with them would be pos
$ sible. The saving would amount tt
. not less than $4,oOO,00o a year, in thu
single item of Sunday papers.
The editorial department would b