davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01
BY J. NJ. COLLIGAN,

Getty Editor Rock Island Argus)
If brightly interpret the assignment
given me by the directing editor of the
Tri-City Press Club number. my sub
ject is to be treated for the especial
enlightenment of the layneu, affording
him scfne idea of thu duties and re-
sponsibilities of the position of city
editor of the modsrnlv conducted daily
newspaper In an ordinarily sized Amer
.icun community.
It was once my privilege to have run
across an interview with a noted jour-
nalist In which he was credited with
having stated that what worried him
most in the days when he was In har-
ness was mot what to print, but what
not to print an observation that /
feel am safe in saying will be Sec
onded by the majority OF the seasoned
newspaper men Of the country.
The function of the city editor is to
get the news that is known in the par
lance of the shop as '1ocal"-in other
words, the current stories" either of
home happenings or of occurrences in
the Immediate neighborhood. that are
of interest to the CLIENTELE of his paper.
1t is not to. be expected that he shall
perform this service single-handed
His assistants are, or should be, feet.
footed, open-eyed and open.eared
young men who literally never sleep
The city is divided in beats" and
each reporter has his particular terri
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01
Regrets Tendency of
Modern Journalism

in the use of words. He insisted al
ways on using the word that exactly
expressed his meaning, not one that
came somewhere near to it. He was
an English teacher-possibly without
himself realizing it-whose influence
1 am sure still lives in these three
cities. He was lexicon always open.
To ask him saved the opening Of the
book.
1 took up the reading of Shake
speare, Dickens, Scott, Byron, Moore,
Drydren and others of those classical
old British islanders, largely through
his influence, at the same time inclin-
ing much toward modernizations that
even in that day were forecasting the
era of simplified spelling. 1t was this
last tendency that prompted me mildly
one day to justify to him the spelling
''mus-ke-to," Ion the ground that Web
ster recognized it in addition to the
old spelling. Mr. Jervis was emphati-
cally against it. Oh Webster" said
he. Then he proceeded to analyze
mosquito and it's derivation, giving
the equivalents in the language
from which it derived it's sylIables,
and demonstrating to his own salts
faction, and very largely to mine, the
criminality of hiding behind a new
spelling the derivation, the history
and the real meaning of a word, and
all ostensibly to shorten the time
necessary to be devoted to the study
of photography, a theory that discards
the truth, that curtailment of time
given to study involves loss of men
tai training also. Mr.. Jervis acknowl-
edge as one of the professors in my
journalistic alma mater, mourning only
the fact that l have not been a more
worth follower
Richardson another.
Dixon N Richardson C"Dick'O was
another man who in my youth was
looked up to as writer and thinker
worth emulating. 1 never knew him
as news writer, only as writer of
editorials. He was not in accord with
my then rather unripe political views,
but could not help admiring his style
and his forcefulness.
Next came George H. Ballou, long
time city editor of the old Davenport
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01
p. s.. McGlynn Comments
Upon Fading of Literary
Coloringfrom Newspaper n-
der Influence of Present Day.
BY p. s. MeGLYNN,
EDITOR of the Moline Dispatch

(Editor of the Moline Dispatch.)
Present and rising generations of
newspaper men in these three cities
owe much to the Old timers who pre-
coded them. Going back as far as the
writer can remember, shining lights
are recalled to whom would, If could,
pay a Just tribute of acknowledgment
for myself and for others with me.
To have come in contact with and to
have known these men, their writings
and their methods, was in itself to
have taken advantage of school in
journalism, the equal of which it will
perhaps be difficult for our various
state universities-now taking up this
branch-to reach. l hope these uni
versity departments may make them
selves as useful to many as was con-
tact with these men 10 me.
will mention only a few of them.
For the most part they were men of
fine literary education-a thing which
is coming to be considered less and
less a primal requisite to success in
the field OF journalism, giving way
largely to the always essential nose
for news" and to the hustle necessary
to quickly follow up and get results
out Of the things that that kind Of a
nose shifts. 1t ought, however, to be
impressed on younger aspirants for
newspaper success, that while it may
be conceded that the nose" and the
hustle come first, these will never
alone bring one to the best presenta-
ton Of ones subject, to putting into
correct, smooth and unmistakable Eng
iish the story you have to tell. Famili
arity with English classics is far more
desirable and more valuable, in my
estimation, than a full and exact grasp
OF the science and theory of grammar,
desirable as that is.
Frank L. Jervis First.
First among the men in these three
cities to whom l feel indebted l recall
Frank !. Jervis. When I was a boy
1t seemed to me he was an old man,
but the little that was permitted to
rub up against him was very valuable
to me. He gave me my first idea of
the great Importance of being exact
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

Continued From Page Four.1
And sometimes 1t is the expert swim
mer who gets cramps and never
shows up again. So it is with the lex
pert" ''know-it-all" merchant. He oc-
casionally gets pinched. 1t is amusing
to hear the small merchant say that
advertising doesn't pay. He's tried it.
When big stores in the big cities, prac-
tically without exception anywhere,
spend from to 6 per cent of their
gross receipts in advertising, and sell
more goods in a day than the small
merchant does In a year, this small
merchant stands up and says it doesn't
pay. Big merchants should be given
credit for knowing something about
business and being smart enough not
to spend the enormous sums they do
If the investment in advertising space
was not profitable one.
There .se many kinds of advertising.
just as there are many kinds Of men
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

rule carried with it tacitly, "cut out
embellishments; don't try fine writing;
this is a newspaper; most poetry goes
in the w. B." Who knows but Johnson
may have saved few writer's from
mediocre poetry or worse, and made
of them fair newspaper writer's?
Most OF these men believed in Elm
personal journalism. Very seldom did
one of them appear in his own paper.
OF them all Walter Johnson was the
most strict in his desire to eliminate
his own personality, except insofar as
that personality infused itself into the
voice of the newspaper. So well
schooled in this rule of impersonal
Journalism was the writer that it is
with reluctance that the necessity of
writing this sketch in the first per-
son. and over my own signature, is
forced on me.
In CIVIL War Days.
To go back a little farther and take
UP momentarily the very earliest chap
ter of my newspaper office experience,
it was when the civil war was more
than half over. but was still in full
swing that 1 entered the Office of a
weekly paper (the Democracy in Wash
ington, Iowa. Eugene B. Bolens was
editor-a rank Iowa "copperhead,"
with a chip on his shoulder and SIX
shooter in his hip-pocket. After a
warm year with him, 1 went to A. r.
Wickersham, English by birth and
training, an abolitionist and loyal to
the cause of the north. mention this
to show additionally the large infiu-
ence that native Englishmen welded
in laying the foundation of Iowa and
Illinois journalism. In my own expert
ence, I have come under the influence
of at least four forceful English news
paper NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Jervis, Rus
Sell and Johnson.
The three cities have sent out many
young men into the broader field of
Journalism, who doubtless drank at
the fountain Of journalistic knowledge
from these same men whom 1 have
listed. There is Charles T. Russell
(son of Edward) now of New York,
newspaper and magazine writer of
note; Nelson Hersh, city editor Of a
big New York daily, and host OF 9TH
ers. Milton Speer viii be remembered
by old-time Moliners. He was a pred
ecessor of the writer with one man
between us) in the position of Moline
reporter for the Rock Island Union.
Like myself Speer was a contemporary
OF the late Frank Harwood. But Speer
was a genius. Speer was in Moline
when HARDWOOD enlisted in the navy.
Frank tired of the service in a week
or two. He was fortunate enough to
get a semblance of sore eyes, either
through weeping at his miserable deck
scrubbing fate, or through judicious
use of red pepper. These sore eyes
secured for him a discharge. When
Frank came back to Moline to take up
again the lead pencil, in the use OF
which he was an unmerciful rooster of
anybody and everybody. his reception
by Speer was in the shape OF a per-
sonal item announcing that "Seafoam
frank, the sore-eyed sailor" had re-
turned. Harwood never was able to
stop the use, by friends and foes alike,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01
ADVERTISING AS
BUSINESS INSURANCE

Continued From Page Four,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

of this hated title. It followed him
long and far.
Fell Into Poetry.
Speer drtfted west. In San Fran
cisco he seems to have fallen into
poetry" It is said that he there wrote
q cannot, however, prove At that
no7 quite familiar poem beginning,
Little All Sid was a Christian kid, a
cute little cuss you'd declare, with
eyes full of fun and a nose that begun
right I'D at the roots of his hair 1t
was first printed in the San Francisco
Call, and the editor of the Call cot
credit for it. From California Speer
went to Australia, later coming back
to the west coast, working on news
papers in the mining regions, and
finally dying in a territorial hospital
/ could mention others, such as Gen
eral Add. H. Sanders, Thereon NJ
Saunders, Frank Gibson, Clint Park
hurst, Waldo NJ Potter, Colonel ]. B.
Danforth and a whole galaxy Of edi-
tors and writer's who have left their
impress on local journalism, but with
whom / had lesser contact. 1 could
name B. F. Tillinghast, Harry Downer,
]. E. Calkins, and others, but these
have been contemporaries, men from
whom might have CLEANED knowl-
edge had 1 not already considered my
self "out of school" and become too
busy to learn more.
P. S. McGLYNN.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01


who use 1t. Newspapers, street cars,
billboards, magazines. farm papers,
ETC., are some of the leading mediums
for advertising. OF all of these, the
daily newspaper stands out way in
front as the best and most effective.
Why? Because it goes every day into
the homes of people who want it, pay
for It, read 1T and believe in it. What
the newspaper says carries weight
Therefore its advertising carries con-
viction to the reader. The magazines
use newspaper space when they want
quick results, when they want to get
to the people quickly. So should every
man, merchant or manufacturer, use
the newspapers first and foremost to
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

Continued on Page ~even-,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

tory to travel as many times in the
day as he can conveniently. He lie
answerable for the turning into the
desk of the city editor of all the
stories" that transpire during the day
in his territory. The city editor on
newspapers in cities of the population
of Rock Island, Davenport and Moline
does not remain as closely at his desk
as do those in the larger centers,
where the reportorial STATS number
in many instances forty or more men,
the direction of whom alone keeps
him occupied every minute of the day.
So that the city editor in the smaller
community has opportunity at inter
walls, some days, of visiting the chief
sources Of news supply, of'keeping in
personal touch with those whom he Is
Obliged TO look to for protection when
the bigger news events are in pros
pect, and thus save his paper from
getting "scooped," and saving himself
criticism from the gentleman higher
up" It is the duty of the city editor
to read and pass upon all Of the local"
stories that are printed in his paper
each day. Each day. by the very
nature of his work. is new to him He
is simply an individual trained IL
knowing what news is. estimating its
readable and Informative value. and
passing it along to the patrons Of his
paper.
The responsibilities of the city edL
Continued on Page @even.I
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

reach the people quickly and at first
hand. Other mediums can come later
and when he has more money to spend
But his big appropriation should be
used in newspapers. Advertising in
newspapers as compared to any other
medium is like comparing mixed candy
at 10 cents per pound with the best
make at 81 per pound. No one would
think of eating the cheap kind II the
other was available.
Advertising is business Insurance.
and an investment which pays big
dividends in ACCORDANCE with the way
in which you take care OF your invest
ment and try to make it yield returns
Z. p. ADLER.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

Gazette, later on the Democrat. My
contact with MT Ballou was closer,
and it came at a time when it surely
was most valuable. shaping in large
degree my newspaper trend. Nine
years of acquaintance with him, and
a familiarity with his style and his
manuscript Tin those typewriterless
and telephoneless days. put into my
head the idea that ought now to util-
lie my long reading course, and so 1
aspired to be a cub reporter" with
the hope that some day might write
as well as George H. Ballou." / have
not acquired that goal, but 1 owe this
acknowledgment to the genius Of this
bright, studious, news-nosed, hustling
mana man of a type in size and
physiognomv much like Stephen A.
Douglas, and surely himself a Little
Giant of journalism in the three cities.
Edward Russell was another man
a big-hearted man, who showed me
ton than kid would ordinarily ex-
pect from one who occupied so high a
place-frofn contact with whom |
profted. He was another man who
knew how to WELD correct and in
cisive English, and who demanded it's
use by the staff that surrounded him.
1t was under him that I did my first
reporting, having had a decidedly
minor place with the old Gazette while
he was proprietor and editor in chief
and George H. Ballou was city editor.
The Late Walter johnson.
Next in this list, and by no means
least, was the late Walter Johnson of
the Rock Island Union. Walter John
son came to my knowledge-possibly
did not come to his so early-when
was 16 to Is years old. He was then
for a time a writer On the old Daven-
port Democrat, when the Office was
near the southeast corner of Third
and Perry streets. 1t was, as now, an
evening paper; and alongside it in the
same building was the Gazette, the
morning paper of Davenport. But
later l worked with and under him on
the Union. To him use of good Eng
lish was apparently natural and spon-
taneous. With this he had the news
nose, too. He had, too. something
now going out of vogue-the faculty
Of arbitrarily, and nearly always cor.
rectly, deciding what ought not to be
printed at all. He, like Jervis and
Russell, was a Britisher Johnson,
perhaps more than either of the other
two, adhered closely to English ideas
of journalism. He was slowest to take
up display headings. Indeed the Union
never was given up to the big-type
wave while he ruled it.
Tell the story, tell it right, tell it
short" was the Johnson rule Impressed
on me- / soon found out that this
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01
l.. S. Nice ABE & CO.

Wish TO express their appreciation
of the Tn-City Press for its assist
Qnce in building up this locality as
commercial center; and for the
firm stand taken in support of sound
business principles; the support of latUs and
ordinances tending to promote the develop
r1e,1t and prosperity of the locality, and their
sincere and earnest cooperation tUith all that
tends TO create and maintain this as the great
commercial center of the Upper Mississippi
RiUer Valley.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-25
"slLLY" HERBERT DEAD.
Former Resident of MarshalItown
Passes Away at Mitchell, S. D.

William Herbert, resident Of Mar
shalltown prior TO thirty years ago. and
a brother of the late John Herbert,
of this city, died at his home in Mitch
ell, s. D, Wednesday afternoon of can
Ger, after lingering illness. Mr. Her
bert was we'll known to the old resi-
dents Of the city and Of Liscomb, where
ne lived for several years, before NOV
ing to this city.
William Herbert was 81 years of age.
He was one OF the pioneer business
men Of Liscomb. and later engaged in
business in ibis city for number of
years.
He is survived by his wife and three
children. The latter are William NJ.
Herbert, an attorney. % Mitchell. S. d.
Joseph Herbert, Of Cincinnati O., and
Mrs Harry Fridley, of Mitchell.
Mr.. Herbert has four nieces residing
in the city, in the persons of Mrs.
Miles Kelleher. Mrs. o. NJ Richard
SON Mrs. Harry Lilley and Mrs. Harry
Mcbride. Mr. and Mrs. kelleher left
last night for Mitchell to attend the
funeral, which viii be held Friday
morning at o'clock. Mr.. Herbert was
a member of the Catholic church.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL MEETING.
Annual Convention of Vienna Towr
shin Association 70 Ra AeId Sunda

Annual Convention Of Vienna Town.
ship Association to Be Held Sunday.
The twenty third annual convention
of the Vienna Township Sunday School
Association will be held Sunday at
district No school house in Vienna
township. The session will open at
10 o'clock in the morning and will con-
tinue turnout the day. The program
for the day has been arranged rs fol-
lows:
Morning services, beginning at 10
O'Clock, song service, led by Ed Beich-
ley; devotional exercises, Rev. Mr..
Day; Sunday school lesson, conducted
! by c. r. Lynch; address by Rev. Mr..
Day; song by the congregation.
A basket dinner will be spread at
noon and the aftern BON services will
| open at 1870. with a song service led
by Ed Bechley, followed by devotional
exercises led by Mr. e. A. HILL A
short business session will then be
| held, when election Of officers will be
held and the repor. of the town ship
| secretary read. Mrs. Diehle will give
a report of the township missionary
work. The program for the ball
ance of the afternoon will in
clude a vocal duet. by Katy Russe ard
Iva Binford; report of the interpation-
al convention, by c. E. Pickard. OF
Marshalltown; song by the Chapel
Sunday school; address by Professor
Kerr, of LeGrand. on "a. B. C. Work."
song by the Vienna Center Sunday
school; discussion. who is Responsible
or SO Many Being Out of the Sun
day SCHOOL," Rev Mr.. Rousch, Frank
Apologize and others; duet by Charles
Nickerson and Iva Binford; address,
Keep Sweet" Rev. F. F. Fitch. Of
Des Moine.: and song by tie congre-
CATION.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-25
Married in Des Moines.

Earl V. Snowgren, aged p, of Madrid,
and Miss Iva Hildreth, aged 10. OF
Rhodes, were married in Des Moines
Tuesday
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-25
MEolcs ATTEND MEETING.
Physicians Of MarshaIItown Present at
Hardin County Gathering.

Hardin County Gathering.
Several Marshalltown physicians
were in Ackley Wednesday to attend
the annual meeting of the Hardin
County Medical Association. The pro-
gram was a most interesting one, in
Guiding addresses by Drs. Prebble and
Ryerson. of Chicago, and DR.. Albert Of
Mason City. The latter read paper
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-25
FORTRESS CHORAL UNION OF
CENTRAL IOWA NORWEGIAN
CHURCHES SINGS HERE.
WILL GIVE "PRODlGAL SON"
ON SUNDAY EVENING
Afternoon and Evening Programs to Be
Given at the odeon, Without Admis-
sion Charge to PubIic-Rehearsa
Saturday Afternoon; Business Ses-
sion and Reception in Evening.

The Fortress Choral Union of the
Iowa Will hold its sixth annual sanger
fest in this city on Saturday and Sun
day, Aug. % and IS. The festival is tC
be given under the auspices of Elm
city.
The different choirs comprising the
organization, which include the
church of Des Moines, Roland, Story
City Cambridge, Stanhope, Ellsworth
and Marshalltown, Will aggregate lOC
or more voices. The choirs will meet III
rehearsal at the Elm church Saturday
afternoon at , o'clock for rehearsal
Business Meeting and Reception.
The annual business meeting of the
union viii take place Saturday evening
al 80 after which a reception will be
given the visitors by the young people
of the church. The reception will be an
outdoor affair, on the church lawn, II
the weather permits. otherwise in the
basement of the Swedish Lutheran
church.
church, Rev. A. Shefveland, of Huxley
president of the choral union, will give
the sermon, and members of the visit
ing choirs will attend the service
The singing of hymn by the audience
will be followed by scripture reading
and another hymn will precede the
sermon. An anthem by the Elm choir
the Offering, and a closing hymn Will
bring the service to an end.
Concerts Afternoon and Evening.
At the Odeon Theater, both afternoon
and evening. concerts will be given, and
the evening program will include the
cantata, The Prodigal Son" The af-
ternoon program will begin at 3 O'Clock,
and the evening at 4: 80. There will be
no admission fee, and Rev. O. Qualen
pastor of Elm church, has extended
general invitation TO all music-lovers
of the city and surrounding country to
be present.
The program for the afternoon re-
cital will be as follows:
PART l.
"Festang" $50. Professor Christensen
Grand Chorus.
Let Mount Zion Rejoice" Herberl
Ellsworth Choir.
Rarytone SOLO ~..-.e.-.........S electeo
Alr. LOodaS
Kun" .........Pr Professor Chrfstlanson
Grand Chorus.
Address, "Ungdomeens Religiose
Trang' . Rev. NJ. \. Knutson
Send Out Thy Light" $4,000. .Gounod
Grand Chorus.
PART II.
"salighedens Grund" $50. Folkemelodi
Grand Chorus.
angels Ever Bright and Fair" Handel
Miss Linnie Warwick.
Mrs. Yettie Barber and Miss Mabel
Nordskog.
"Det Ringer" kjerulf
Bethlehem Choir.
Address, Excuses" Rev. II. ]. Holm an
Seek Ye the Lord" ......... Roberts
Grand Chorus.
Sunday Evening Program.
The program for sunday evening, at
the Odeon, will be a. follows:
PART I.
"Takker Herren" ......... Blomqulst
Grand Chorus.
Shadows Of the Evening Hour" 49,.
- ............R athbun
Miss Louise Berven. (Bersen).
beautiful Savior" Mrs. Bohannam
Trinity Choir.
Address. .Christian Privileges" 49,.
. Rev. A. Shefveland
'Nogtersang ............... Greg
Grand Chorus.
songs of Praise That the Angel
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-25

Sang".. ......... SHELBY
Messrs 0. s. Boyd and T.. G. Fardal.
Address, "Vor Aandelige F'ode" 500.
......... Rev. C. II. Hjortholn
Il Know That My Redeemer Liveth". {.
.....'........ ........ go. Handel
Grand Chorus.
PART II.
Cantata, 1.-THE Prodigal Son" 900.
........ ........ Arthur Berriage
Fortress Choral Union.
The soloists for the production Of
the cantata will be Miss Loise Berven,
soprano; Miss Sarah Austed, contralto;
Mr.. .. 5. Boyd, tenor; Mr.. Z. G.. Far
dial. barytone.
The officers of the Fortress Choral
Union are: President, Rev. A. Shefve-
land, Huxley; secretary, Miss Carrie
Boyd, Roland; treasurer, Mr.. e. G.. Far
dal. Stanhope. Mr.. Q. S. Boyn, Of Ro-
land is director of the chorus.