The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1907-02-08


destinies of. our party, or state or
nation. Great leaders are absolute
ly essential; without them there can
be no plan, no party nor govern
ment. Without them liberty be-
comes license and public opinion
disorganized and chaotic mob. Pc
litical platforms, too, are necessary
to free government. They express,
in the main, the purpose of party
endeaver. But of what use are par.
ty platforms and party leaders with
out the press, the medium Of COM
munication with the public? The
three graces of political progress are
the platform, the press, the people,
but the greatest of these is the
press. 1t is the link which unites
the other two. Through the press
the makers of parties come into
touch with the wishes of the people
and party plans are elucidated and
impressed upon the minds and hearts
of the people"
The press sets up and pulls down
leaders, makes and unmakes par
ties. 1t finds its way into the homes.
1t goes where the political orator
cannot go. In the quiet of the even
ing, after the days work is done,
the voter, too weary to attend late
and noisy political gathering, un-
moved by passion and cheers, reads
his paper and forms an honest, can
did opinion. He reads the party
platform and party speeches. The
spellbinder, lurid oratory. brass
bands and torch light professions are
gone forever. Campaigns are con-
Quoted along educational lines. and
the press is the great teacher. The
newspaper has become an education
al force undreamed of in the early
days of the republic.
The publisher of a party newspa-
per gives up much. He makes
many more sacrifices than the
public knows or suspects. The time
was when patronage was thought
to be the sovereign balm for all edi-
tors wounds. That time is speedily
passing. 1t is very consoling to have
fought, bled and almost died to
land an aspiring candidate to Office
to have him, when fairly establish
ed behind the fees or salary thereof,
suddenly become imbued with con-
scientious (?) conviction that he
ought to show no political favors
in giving out the patronage of his
office. An official who takes this
position ought to be sent to the po-
litical Orphan Asylum as soon as
an opportunity presents. When
officers are elected on nonpartisan
ticket and Republican newspapers
stand just as good chance under a
Democratic officer as Democratic
papers do, it may be inl order for
Republican officers to work the nom
partisan dodge.
There Is much in the way of job
work, advertising and subscription.
which, as neutral papers. we could
command, and of which, by the very
fact that we are conducting party
papers, we are deprived. 1t would
be just as honest, and no doubt more
profitable, to publish a neutral pa
per, devoted exclusively to news in
stead of partisan paper. If a pa
per demands money for the support
of a candidate of its own party it is
branded cut-throat or striker. If
an editor gives his space gratis and
works his brain overtime to pull his
party through hard campaign, ten
to one some political migrate will
give his patronage to the other pa
per to make himself solid" for the
next election. Then when Offices
and other patronage are passed
around, it makes the loyal newspa-
per man boil to see some political
nondescript given a fat job while
the honest, Woodworking, capable
editor is sent back to "whoop 'em
up" for the boys. 1t is not always
so. but it is too often so.
Every Republican newspaper man
should demand from his party the
recognition to which he is entitled.
He should not cringe, whine and
whimper. He does not need to do
this. He can and should run such a
paper as will be indispensable to the
ci1ccacc of hic nartv He CON opd