University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-02-28
Oud Bell and the
Country Press.

papers tnat nave taken advantage D
opportunities to become more effec
tive. One Of the most striking ex
amples of this is the Fulton Week.!
Gazette. pubIishd at Fulton. Cailawa,
county. Missouri. and edited by Ovit
Bell.
On the whole, the country weekly
has not made the advancement tha
has been made by the dailies of the
city. 1t is one of the Oldest forms ol
journalism and has done much towart
educating the people and for progres;
along all lines. But it is too prone
to be content with a mediocre posi-
tion. The country editor has not al
ways put his best efforts into his
work, and he has been outdistanced
by his city contemporary.
But the Fulton Gazette is a country
weekly that stands high in the field
of journalism. 1t has risen above
the average paper and has become a
real newspaper. newspaper that is
vitality interested in the people and
things of its county.
Coming into the ownership of the
Gazette Just ten years ago. Mr.. Bell
determined to apply himself diligently
toward building up paper that would
be worthy Of support as servant of
the people. His task was difficult
one. for, in the beginning, the Ga
zette was shipping over a rough sea.
There were less than 500 subscribers
on its list, and the plant-if plant"
may be hazarded-was sold to satisfy
a debt.
But Ovid Bell is not "the man that
stood still" He coupled his energy
and ambition to his experience in
squared himself behind
the Gazette and pushed. The Gazette
began to grow, and Ovid Bell worked
on. Cicero NOT Ovid - said that
there is no excellence without great
labor" 1t does not matter whether
Ovid Bell ever read that in De Officis
or not; he knew it, and he labored.
The Gazette's difficulties and hard
ships did not end ten years ago-they
have been present always, but the Ca
zette fought back and gained the
strategic points. Last June ii moved
out of building that was not its own,
setting up in what probably is the
best equipped country weekly plant
and building in Missouri. This new
has two floors. with about six
,r eight thousand feet of floOr space
lnd-what so many publishing plaats
nave not-an abundance of light, nat
lral and artificial. There are several
ob presses, flat-bed preseason 10
,ive place to a cylinder press-all run
,y electric motors and an ample sup
,ly of black-face and fancy type in |,
he Gazette building. If for no other
purpose than to supply enough capi- |
al Ms to say "Mr. and Mrs. J. C. |
Blank" rather than Mr.. ]. C. Blank
md wife," modern linotype ma
hine is a part of the GaZette's as
cts.
In ten years the Gazette has length
ned its subscription list until it now
ontains more than 5000 names, cir
ulating all through the county, and
,oing to adjoining counties and to
tates beyond Missouri. Mr.. Bell be-
an publishing the Gazette with the
of having it serve the people
I Galloway county, and he attributes
luch of its growth to the fact that 1t
as supplied their needs. Il
Without precedent, Mr.. Bell so
hanged the makeup of the Gazette
nat he might have been accused of
istorical heresy, if not high treason.
nyway. when the Gazette was made
yer. patent sheets and plate-matter
ere left out, and there has not been
,om for such matter since. Further
ian that, there ceased to be any
PACE for advertising on the front s
age. and there is none there yet. II
Everything that goes in the Gazette, |c
icept adjoining county news and a
tile foreign advertising, is home Is
own There is never any reprint
rewritten news in this weekly.
olding to his original purpose of
irving Galloway county and its peo-
e. Mr.. Bell publishes the news that
OF most concern to his readers. Sev-
al years ago he introduced a stock p
I'd farm department in his paper. S
he plan was successful and the lie. ls
rtment continues. He has a man n
hose duty it is to look after news t:
this column-not merely Obvious a
ws"-he must get something for 81
e people that they would otherwise la
t get. u
THE people of this county are in. Ic'