The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-04-17
FRANK AND FRIENDLY.
fraternaI Cooperation is Better Than
Warlike Competition, Thinks Todd.

and racy review of the Redwood
Reveille's rather remarkable record
was readily read; and while the ques-
ton you asked me might be an
swered in few words, can not
refrain from following in The foot
steps of you and friend Whitney,
reminiscing little. | must say
lin the beginning that | blushed
at the compliments handed me, as
the first editor of the Reveille, by
yourself and Captain Whitney. |
wish | could inwardly feel that they
were merited.
The launching and management OF
the Reveille involved task which |
undertook with mixed feelings of
pleasure and trepidation. Redwood
Falls was charming little place.
with enterprising and hospitable
people, with many of whom was
already acquainted. So far as this
went the prospect was pleasing. But
| realized the amount and character
of the work required to place a
second newspaper upon substantial
or living footing in town of that
size, and feared that with my linn
tied journalistic experience | was
not equal to it. The GAZETTE was
an old paper with good circula-
ton, and in able hands. | can see
no harm in saying here and now
what / have said on many other
occasions, that regarded Mr.. Aiken
as one of the ablest all-round news
paper men in that neck of the
woods. He was, and is, not only a
smooth and resourceful writer but a
printer of rare taste and skill. |
considered him second only to Capt.
Whitney in this respect.
Of course, there were two well
defined political factions in the
place, one of which was anxious for
a second paper; still the demand
was not very formidable. When |
first landed in the town | could not
rid myself of the feeling that the
people there would consider me very
self-confdent, or perhaps conceited,
for thinking that | could come there,
practically stranger, and start
paper that would become a serious
rival of The GAZETTE. When the
matter for the first number was
about all in type Capt. Whitney and
Geo. Hughes drove down from Mar
shall and helped to run off the edi-
ton. | was very anxious about the
impression to be made by that first
number. The office was full of men
and boys waiting to see the first
paper struck off, and | confess that
| was quite nervous, for fear that il
might not come up to their expec-
tations.
| While the Reveille was, at the
very start, patronized beyond my
expectations, the patronage was, as
rule, believed to be extended be.
cause the people were reluctant tt
) refuse what they knew would be
expected of them, rather than be-
cause of dissatisfaction with the
other paper. And altho the venture
met with substantial evidences Of
appreciation everywhere, still i
, could be seen that the average bust
ness man regarded a second paper
in a field Of that size as something
of burden. Only for this aspec
| should have purchased the concern
and settled down to a life worl
with it, for the owner wished to sci
it, and was looking for field, hav
/ ing only short time before solt
the Tracy Trumpet.
, Previous to my experience in Red
wood | had had few newspape
scraps with such contemporaries a
were, like myself, always carrying
chip on their shoulders, and | sup
posed that an engagement" be
| tween the Reveille and Gazett
) would in time be inevitable.
could foresee nothing specific tina
would precipitate such calamity