The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-08
Remarkable Success.

In his editorial correspondence, Rev H.
NJ. Blair writing to the North Carolina
Christian Advocate, tells of the success OF
a Wilkes county editor of whom little is
known. AS he took the train, expecting
to meet friends going to North Wilkes
boro, Mr.. Blair writes:
but imagine my surprise and dismay
when l found myself in a nest of Yellow
Jackets When boy, l had battles often
with these doughty little insects, and
counted myself an adept in planning a
campaign for their determination, but this
time, l confess that 1 succumbed at cnce
and became the easy victim of my erst-
while enemies.
ITO make the matter plain, very few
people are aware of the phenomenal sue
cess of a Wilkes county man III his ven
ture in the field OF Journalism. About
nine years ago, at his humble country
home, near Moravian Falls, Wilkes coun
ty, Mr.. r. Don Laws. man with very
limited training, began the publication OF
very small monthly sheet, called The
Yellow Jacket. From that small begin.
ming, his paper has grown into the pro-
portions of a twenty column Biweekly.
with q circulation of over $4,000, the ma
jority of the subscribers being west OF
the Mississippi river. He now runs three
presses and a folder, giving employment
to fourteen young men and women, and
is about to install a linotype machine.
This man Laws is genius, having
as he says, done his first printing wit h
wooden type, carved out by his own
hand. He was born in the Businesses of
the most rugged portion of the Brushy
mountains and, by the very force of cir
cumstances, could have no early oppor-
tunities in the matter of education. There
Is, however, the air of the clever man
about him, and being. by inheritance, 4
bitter partisan of the long dominant par
/ ty, the name chosen for his publication il
happy hit. A copy of the paper being
before me, have read it over and over
trying to anayze it's qualities, and have
come to the conclusion that. like the real
/ yellow Jacket il is an adept at the art
(. of singing and biting.
"a man with positive convictions, go
/ ing right at the other fellow. is sure to be
| lauded and admired, even though he BIZ
master Of nothing more than the art OF
! caustic speech. This is doubtless one oil
! the secrets of the success of the venture
of this unlettered man in the field of jour
nalism.
Il was glad to learn that the mora
| influence of the man is good, and that he
is ever ready to fall in line with the ef
| forts now making for the moral improve
ment of the county. So shall not apollo
gize for giving this rather lengthy notice
to what may seem a merely local matter
man who, amid such conditions, can
secure a circulation of more than sixty
thousand for his paper. comes very nearly
measuring up to the requirements of the
one whom the world has always been
looking for, that is. the man who can
make something out of nothing. All the
| country will now watch this enterprise,
to determine whether it is a mushroom
to be destroyed by some mere trife, or
whether it will prove to be real hard
wood growth. able to stand and brave
successfully the storms of adversely Incl.
dent TO the sea of journalism