The Penn's Grove record., 1904-09-23
Twenty Years a scribe

AAAR ASPNA0 - SAN 49,
CORD completes twenty years service
of the present editor and publisher.
We entered The printing business an
entire stranger to the trade and with
an aversion to writing.
How well we have chronicled the
events of PENIS Grove and surround
ing region our many constant readers
in that time well know totheirinterest.
1t is impossible to publish a newspaper
and not print some legitimate news
which some may desired not mention
ed, while some articles of a personal ma
ture may have been excluded that some
may have liked published.
We have endeavored to publish the
local news with impartial interest to
the present readers and have published
some items with the thought in view
that they are of interest to our many
readers miles away from Penn's Grove,
also that they will be of interest to fu-
ture generations when a history is writ
ten from the files of old papers.
Our editorial views we have express
ed without fear or favor. We have ex-
pressed them without malice to any
one, and with a view to enlightenment.
When our editorial column has been
omitted because of pressure of news
and advertising we have received per-
sonal desires that they be resumed, even
when the reader did not agree with our
opinions.
Many of our old readers have passed
away and more new ones have been
born in the past twenty years. There
have been many business changes, and
Penn's Grove has about doubled in
population. While there has been an
increase in the patronage ofthe RECORD
to a more substantial business basis,
yet the increase has not been so great
as might have been expected, because
twenty years ago the RECORD was
ahead of the town. We wish to ex-
press a cordial appreciation of the pat
ronage given by the people, not only in
a business way, but as readers and con-
tributors of news of interest. While
the success attained is a great part due
to our patrons, our sticking close to
business may claim part of the credit.
In that time we have had only three
weeks vacation. During the past sew
enteen years every edition has been
published under our supervision, with
out a weeks vacation. The longest
absence has been four days.
While the publishing of a newspaper
is a private enterprise for profit, yet it
IS a public institution as a puryeyor of
news and opinions, and in fact, a ne
ceSslty in this enlightened age. Wede-
sire every reader to feel a personal in
terest In the RECORD, because they
have a personal interest in the news
items they read about themselves and
others. 1t is our endeavor to publish
every item of local public interest and
when it fails to appear the reader may
believe that the particulars have not
reached the office. Wehope those who
have an interest in news not published
will feel the Importance of acting a re-
porter themselves, without feeling that
they are egotistical or intruding on
private business, because the reporting
and publishing of public doings and
events are of public interest, which on
ly can be made known by some one
making them known to the editor, who
is neither omniscient nor omnipresent.
CHANGES.
Every newspaper in Salem county
has changed editors within the past
twenty years except the RECORD. The
veteran editor Robert Gwynne, of the
Salem Sunbeam passed away five years
ago last March. While his son Robert
Jr., is still nominal editor, yet he has
advanced beyond the toll of newspaper
work.
William Taylor was then editor of
the Woodstown Register, while Attor-
ney e. S, Fogg was serving editorial
spice in the Woodstown Monitor, with
E. w. Humphreys as local editor and
publisher. These two papers have
since been consolidated by Benjamin
Patterson who was then editor of the
Salem Standard. Nh. Patterson was
succeeded by w. S. Bowen, and now
VIM. ii. Chew eXpounds Standard Re-
publicaniSm.
D.. Harris Smith was doing editorial
stunts on the South Jerseyman twenty
years ago. He has since advanced to
the legal bar, leaving VIM. II. Harris
as present editor.
The Elmer Times was not in exis-
tence twenty years ago. The present
editor S. 2. Foster has been in charge
for the past seventeen years, and made
that paper a success.
While we have had editorialtilts with
most of the editors of these papers,
they have been over differences of opin-
ions, and pleasant personal acquaintan-
ces exist between us. We wish them
all well.
What changes will take place within
the next twenty years time alone can
tell.