The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1905-1910, 1909-09-07
The Effect Of Printers Ink.

Like poison ivy and the seven-year
itch is printers ink. Once COTTON on
the fingers II Is impossible to eradicate
II from the system.
These thoughts are evoked by the an
nouncement of the re-entrance Of Mr..
w. p. Walton into Lexington newspa-
per work. He Is very nearly, u not
the nestor Of Kentucky journalism.
He was tempted to come to Lexington
from Stanford, Of which he was the
leading citizen. to take charge OF the
Lexington Democrat. which we pur-
chased from him nearly five years ago.
After short rest he purchased and
revived the Kentucky State Journal,
retaining. however. his home in Lex
ington during his ownership and editor
ship Of that paper. Some months ago
he sold that paper and engaged In the
brokerage business in Lexington, and
the announcement was made by his
friends that he had retired from the
newspaper world for good. But he has
found IL impossible to rid himself OF
the disease Of printers ink. which he
contracted at time when the mem
ory of man runneth not 10 the contra
ry." and now the announcement Is
made that he has acquired an interest
in the Kentucky Gazette Publishing
Company and will have entire control
of the editorial policy Of that paper.
For fear some one may get the mis-
taken and erroneous idea that our COM
parison Of the effects Of poison ivy and
the seven.year itch to the effects OF
pr,nter's ink Is intended for anything
more than to emphasize the compelling
hold the newspaper profession has upon
its devotees, we distinctly and emphat-
ically disavow any purpose Of suggest
ing tLst Mr.. walton's re-entrance into
Lexington Journalism will be somewhat
like the return of the itch to those
whom he opposes.
He is a democrat dyed in the wool.
To him IL is capital crime for one
who has been n democrat to oppose
democratic candidates or democratic
platform. He gives his first allegiance
to the regular organization. condemn
ing with unmeasured scorn those who
are independent in politics and damn
ing with unstinted blame those who op-
pose the democratic party.
He has always welded a trenchant
and forceful pen. in his younger days
permitting himself to use violence OF
language which we believed then. and
know now from the acquaintance we
have had with him. did not represent
his real nature. which is kindly.
As we took occasion TO say in com
menting upon the sale Of the Kentucky
State Journal. he has gotten more mel
low, more gentle. more tolerant. with
advancing age and greater success. We
hope that in the conduct Of the Gazette
his earnestness Of purpose will be so
tempered by the kindness of his ma
ture that there will be no new wounds
made or old scars reopened.
The five years since he sold The DEM
ocrat. at which time IL was absorbed by
the Herald. have seen remarkable
growth in Lexington and great changes
in the newspaper world. At that time
both The Herald and The Leader were
more than content with flat-bed Cox
duplex press, each rather plumlng it.
self upon the necessary ownership and
use Of such press.
Now both The Herald and The Lead
er have perfecting presses. the speed
Of which is more than twice as great
as that Of the Cox duplex. and we pre-
sumo il is conservative to say that each
publishes twice as much matter. as
well as twice as many papers during
the week as it did five years ago.
We doubt not that Mr.. Walton can
and will adapt himself to the changed
circumstances and il any man can make
a success Of a partisan newspaper in
Lexington he can. BY nature. by hab-
Il Of thought. by conviction, he is a
partisan; he has. more than any editor
we know. the confidence and admira-
ton Of those who believe in party reg
ularity, so that under his editorship
there is reason to believe that the
Gazette will achieve greater success
and have wider influence than it has
had since II was launched upon the
tempestuous and somewhat uncertain