The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1911-03-23

have't really got thing TO write
about this week. but | expect III
wabble about from one subject 20
another until / get interested ana
then youll have to suffer. DO you
know if we all We're gagged until
such times as we really had some
thing worth saying. most II Us
would all get stupendous regulations
as great thinkers. | have notion 20
leave these three or four nolums
blank this week. and would if ] was
sure you'd think it was because | was
too deep in thought that | dldht
write
That reminds me: There used TO
be time when newpaper editors Wef
expected to fill up their editorial
pages with lot Of high brow natter.
If the tariff had just been settled
they discussed the coming Of the
comet or the new speaker III ;he
house of commons over in England.
or. perhaps. reviewed the life II
Napoleon down on that little Tiger oi
an island off the coast If Africa
Well all that is changing. Course
it hasn't all changed but it is ,lanS-
ing. | don't know VINO it vas, but
some really intelligent man got
lob as an editor once, and while the
boss was away on a visit took
notion that he would cut every we,
us, and other befogging pronouns
out of his editorials using instead,
me-, and you. When he mad done
he WIS 50 pleased that ne decided 20
write his editorials all over again
and write them on subject that You
and me- were interested in. When
he got to writing on really interest
ing subjects his latin quotations AM
to Homer and other nigh
bfpws seemed out of pace, SO he tut
them out 20.
Result? Why, I'll tell you, That
night some fool subscriber trying TO
read himself to sleep by mistake turn
ed to the editorial page. He visa
soon wide awake. Next day he told
all his neightors about those EDITOR
ials. By the next night the circul-
ation of that paper had nearly double
By the time the boss came home he
found his paper had a real Influence
in the town. OF course the boss toned
the rebellious editor down a bit. and
put the ban on some of the Invest
subjects, but he wasn't full enough
to go back entinely to the old stile.
Well all of this ramble is but pre-
paratory to saying that it is hard
matter for me, 100 miles away from
Lynden to find subjects that are in
teresting to you and me- My boss
dosen't hold me down, but some
thing eles does.
So | offended some people with my
editorial about the poor devil the
Bellingham preacher is said 10 have
been arrested for debt, did !?
Well | didn't mean to. 1t is pretty
hard to always say what you mean
without offending some people.
didn't think my comparison Of saloon
keepers with some church members
would apply to anybody in Lynden--
it was intended for Bellingham church
members-so, even if the shoe fits
some people here at home ] don't
want them to wear it. | am not max
ing shoes for you to wear-at least
not this time. Bless you all, you
know me better than 10 think that
] thought all saloon keepers we're
better than any of you. You know
me better than to think that | meant
that any saloon keeper was better
than the best of you. 1t is only the
hypocrite that | would like 10 nlam
once in a while and you don't object
to my slaming the hypocrite do you?
Why, don't you remember away back
in David's time they began rubbing
it into the hypocrites. They have
been doing it ever since You would
MT try to stop me from doing it
would you
For fear it might make some who
complained of the editorial swell
headed to have me make suchi an
object apology for it l will just say.
/ received two letters of objections
lraise. Besides those four letters
received this week the one printed
in these columns. One of the letters
of praise came from a minister If
the gospel. who thanks me for my
courage. 1t wasn't a particularly
good editorial. 1t wasn't the sort If
an editorial ] usually write or one
that | care to write But, well, it
woke some of my readers up, and |
sort of had Il notion it would when
| wrote it.
Anyway none of my critics accuse
me of beating about the bush when J
have anything to say.