The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-03-19

We offer the following which is
from an address delivered at the an
nual meeting of the New Hampshire
Weekly Publishers association in Bos-
ton last January, by Walter 5. Noyes,
Publisher of the Littleton, IN. HI,
Courier, in reply to those in Humboldt
county who declare that the discussion
nj politics should have no place IN
Humboldt county newspapers at this
time 1t is Of as much Importance
to the people of Humboldt county to
know where they are losing dollars
daily in the administration of the
government as it is for them to know
of some rich strike that has been made.
A newspaper thae devotes its energies
and a part of its space to the discus
sion of the political conditions which
view towards righting al evident
wrong, is serving a use that should not
be undervalued.
The address of Mr.. Noyes is as fol
lows:
| dissent from the old dictum that
the weekly paper should keep out of
politics. To do its share in solving the
political questions confronting this
country is one of the first duties of
the weekly press, and the weekly edi-
tor is the very man, above all others,
whose help and work are needed by the
is not wise for the weekly paper to
NEEDLE with every political deal or
discussion that comes to its notice, but
when big questions whether, national
state or local are involved, it is, in nay
opinion, the bounden duty of the week
ly paper to take a firm and honest
hand for that side of the question
which it believes to be right. and
which. therefore, it must necessarily
believe. will best CONCEIVE the inter
ests of the people. In other words,
gentlemen, I believe that the country
weekly should jump into politics every
time that a real issue ZONE into view,
and by that 7 mean to jump in all
over-no timmid dabbllng with the
toes at the edge of the stream, but
a good dive first and a good struggle
afterwards, all the stronger if the
current happens to be going the other
way.
/ am aware. gentlemen, that for
many years it has been the custom TO
advise the counry weekly to keep cut
of politics, and it has been wisely
pointed out that to take sides one way
or the other is to make enemies and
Injuries a business which is SO depen-
dent upon the patronage Of a small
community. But this is advice for
weak men, for~the servile or the un
thinking followers of scheming poll
ticians and not for men who are
strong and who are qualified them
selves to lead their communities to
higher things. Moreover, that advice
was given to and vas mainly intended
for the old school of country publish
and who have been succeeded. as a
general thing, by men of higher ideals
and of a greater ambition. Times
have changed, and the weekly news
paper, / believe has Kept pace with
the times. The old paper and the old
editor are both supplicants for the
favors that a small community could
bestow.
Today the tendency is towards few
er weeklies, but those that survive are
bigger, better and buster that ever be-
fore. The weekly paper no longer
asks charity, but is conducted on a
purely business basis. The country
editor today says to his subscriber
81 thank you for your subscription,
but / believe that / am giving you
your moneys worth - He SAYS to his
advertisers: "Gentlemen, | thank yon
for the advertisement, but deep in
his heart he feels that he is giving
them advertising for less than it is
worth, and in very many cases he un-
doubtedly does.
And so, gentlemen, times have
changed in business aand they have
changed in politics too. When bitter
party strife was the only politics the
advice to the country publisher 70
keep out of politics was wise, but
there is a higher plane of politics to-
day, in which the Independent voter
plays an important part. The weekly
paper is not obliged to be partisan.
but it ought to feel obliged to be on
the right side.
But there is another duty which the
country editor owes to the world. Not
only is it his duty to fight for his
own community for what it rlgnt in his
town, county, state or national poll
iiNS. Out ~ - ms uutS W ttdAiY itt tht
world know what the concensus OF
opinion in his community is on impor
tant subjects Not only must he try
to impress himself upon his community
but he must aid his community in max
ing its impress upon the world.
The country editor above all others
is the man with his ear to the ground.
The metropolitan DANES, it is trne,
cater to larger numbers, but each in
effect, caters to a community of its
avn, each has its peculiar following
and each of them advocates what il
believes that following wishes to ac-
eept. One paper caters to the extreme
rich and another papers caters to the
extreme poor, n to the extreme con
servatives and another to the extreme
radicals, and few indeed are the big
dailies that properly represent the
great mloule class, the class with sound
minds, sound instincts and sound
ideals. which always has been, still IS
and ALWAYS will be the backbone of