Connecticut western news., 1907-04-04
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1907.
ON E EAR.

One year ago, or on the second day of April, 1906, The Canaan Printing Com pany purchased THE CONNECTICUT WEs- TERN NEWS of Samuel O. Beckley and consolidated the newspaper plant with the job printing establishment of o. H. Pease. On July 1, 1906, the newspaper machinery and other equipment were moved to the Pease building in order that both branches of the business might be under one roof.
 On June 28 Volume xxxvi. began and on this date the paper was enlarged from four pages to it's present form. On June 7 THE SHARON NEWS was established in response to desire expressed by the people of Sharon and vicinity for paper to chronicle the events and happenings of that section and to give publicity to the many attractions and advantages of the village and it's surroundings.
 The reception which was accorded The Canaan Printing Company in assuming the reins of proprietorship of the exist ing paper, and in the launching of the new, was most satisfactory, but not less so than the pleasure and satisfaction they experience because of the continued loyalty of those who so enthusiastically supported both projects at the time of their inception The circulation is stead fly increasing and the advertising pat ronage, which consisted of 195 inches in the issue of April 5, 1906, has increased to.420 inches tor 21 columns) in the issue of March 28, 1907.
 A comparison of the reading matter in the issues of March 29, 1906 and March 28. 1907 shows that the former contained 4l8 inches and the latter 517 inches.
 On December 13 and December 20 double numbers were issued in observ- ance of the holiday season. In the for mer issue appeared 431a columns or 870 inches of advertising and in the latter 421l columns or $50 inches These facts more clearly attest the regard in which the business men hold these papers as advertising mediums than any argument we might present.
 The papers have been loyal to the sec tions in which they circulate and this policy will be continued. A country pa per can, if it will, accomplish much good for it's territory and it's constituency, and this was the underlying reason for our earnest advocacy of every project, dur ing the past year, that we believed would rebound to the welfare and benefit of Canaan and the northwestern section of Litchfield county.
 So far as the coming year is concerned THE NEWS can simply say that sincere effort will be made to give faithful DOT trayal of events, to provide newspaper the weekly visits of which will be antici- pated with pleasure and paper that more nearly approaches that which, in our minds eye, is the ideal in country journalism. We say "more nearly ap- brooches '' for the reason that the ideal fascination for his work and the ever changing views of the people render it impossible for the energetic and up-to- date publisher to do and strive until his paper conforms to his imaginary stand ard of excellence, or until it reaches the Utopian state, for the reason that as he delves deeper into the activities of his vocation he discovers first one thing and then another that it seems to him should be embodied in his ideal and the result is that after years of striving, although progress and improvement are made, the newspaper man lays down his pen, closes hIs inkwel, empties his pastepot and re- tires without, it seems to him, being nearer the ideal than when he was at the zenith of his vigor, because, as a result of modern progress, the ideal has been constantly receding and that which in former years would have conformed to it fairly well, would in the present be only mediocre in the public eye and a new and more distant ideal takes it's place in the publishers mind thus reaching an ideal partakes largely of an effort te obtain the mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
 No. esteemed reader, you will never see an ideal country newspaper, but you will see some that are better than others and it will be our endeavor to place THT NEWS in the former class.
 <
 One year has witnessed much activity ill Canaan. We may mention in thi connection the construction of the Fuller building, the establishing of The Canaan