Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-11-01
HUMOROUS
SIDE OF
EDITING

ctOr or tine W0ouDurNs NOnn.t htpVhttA'
Address delivered at the summer meet
ing Of the Connecticut Editorial asso.
ciation.)
At Is years Of age was seized with
an uncomfortable desire TO own print.
ing press and enter upon star course
Of journalism, and for a liberal mum
Der Of dollars I became the owner Of
Star press and a few superannuated
type which an honored ex-president Of
this association was willing 90 sell me,
and on January 10, 1877, I electrified
the citizens Of Woodbury. by letting
loose a few copies Of the FIRST number
Of the Woodbury. Reporter, four pages,
each page 4i5x6 inches A copy Of
this infant sheet fell into the hands
Of the then editor Of the Waterbury
American, and its general appearance
90 impressed him that he gave tie lit
tie thing puff and advised "Editor
Knox to knock the thing in the head. +"
A second number soon appeared, and
it showed marked improvement and
increased size, and, half a dozen or 90
Of the citizens Of the town veuturing
the price Of three months subsotip.
tion, the child began to wax Fat and
increase In stature
But Il is something humorous you
ask Tor And that reminds me OF the
exceedingly mirth provoking expression
that fell from the lips Of a wealthy
citizen Of the town whom he was 70.
quested 70 subscribe for the Reporter.
81 don't care a cent about tho paper, "
said he, "but here's dollar 20 keep
yoa out Of the poorhouso." Somewhat
different was tho remark Of tho village
blacksmith, for he, Ia refusing TO
have his name added 20 tho subsorip
tion list, said, 81 can get all the news
want In tho New York Herald"
Tho situation was somewhat humor.
Gus In tho pioneer days Of the paper,
whom the editor was informed by tho
irate young husband that tho announce
ment Of birth Of a son In hls family
was premature by a number Of moons,
Said item was reported as a fact by
single young lady In order 70 get even
with her ono timo sweetheart. Aud
equally funny was the experience Of
the editor some months later when he
printed tho society item sent In under
a forged signature announcing tho on
gagement OF a prominent society eou'
pie, when the truth was the young peo'
pie had never entered into an entang'
lement OF 30 strange a nature,
Quite diifeFcny were tho woes Of a
middle aged spinsteF who entered my
Office and rendered FOR, publication a
half column article In which she pain
fully "seoTehed" her neighboFs,
against whom she had a dozen or more
grievances As / was about ready 20
20 20 press informed her that / had
no space for 30 lengthy an article. "No
spaeel" said she, whipping out an old
copy Of the fspeF and pointing 20 the
advertising columns "Look al all
that white space in those advertise
ments that amt filled up. You I've
room enough, but you dasa't print itl''
Equally ingenious was the remark Of
another spinster who cultivated
gFudge against a widower and thought
20 give him FITS In the Reporter. After
reading her fiery article l informed
her that is publication would libel the
gentleman, wheFeupon she exploded as
follows, "I.ibel that old eooRl Holy
Mosesl 6oodbyl"
In summing up the few assets that
possessed during the years Of work on
the Reporter 1 am inclined 10 rate tact
as the most valuable. Ii requires tact
TO win friends in newspaper work. Tact
is better than college education If
eou can have but one.
A subscriber from an adjoining town
frowned in upon me one day and fierce
ly exclaimed; 'Stop sending me that
paper. I don't want il any longer"
After bowing the gentleman out of the
office and erasing his name from the
list penned a nice little
pun about him, and it appeared in
the current issue Of the paper. Three
days after the Reporter was issued
my agricultural friend walked in and, |
out the price Of a years sub !
remarked, my wife says
'he can't get along another year, and
lot me have a dozen copies Of this
week . issue" This was tact put to
good use. The want of tact was well
Illustrated in the early days Of my |
newspaper experience. A gentleman |
..rl.H -. Fl