Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-03-10
THE RURAL
NEWSPAPER
fiit Wnf sND WHEREFORE
0f THE EXISTENCE on
Coz NfHS EDITORS


The sources 81 revenue ii DEEPEN
o. for susienance. These SQUIRE
mas DE- divided into four gener
ieaii-. subscriptions, commerce
advertising. iob work and legal a,
verii-,ng.
Il A. a general rule. subscriptio
receipts are ibe smallest item
income. but as Advertising rates al
based mainly on circulation an
\ more particularly on local eircula
\ lion the subscription lists assum
\ an Importance Out Of all proportio
Il TO the income derived directly iron
II iiem.
II Primarily, people take their 10
H cal paper for the local news an,
H u becomes matter of vital i'm
\ pnrance 10 the editor and publish.
tr 20 devote the major portion OF
ms paper 10 such news items anc
Local happenings as his subscriber.
are Interested IN. The patronage
thus secured for the paper becomes
a valuable asset upon which 10 base
an advertising exploitation of all
those who desire 10 catch the public
car. For county paper general
circulation throughout the county
constitutes liz distinctive value for
legal publications.
The job department Of local
paper is distinctive business pro-
posision and the income from il
depends on efficiency, on lis ability
to deliver the goods. In many
country offices, job work is the
main reliance for revenue and most
papers OF this class would not have
a iustlfiable excuse for existence
without job department.
As long as this government is
administered through the machinery
of political parties. 50 long will il
be found necessary 10 nominate
certain news papers as organs of
those parties. and especially is
this true Of the party in power In
like manner local political parties
are bound to have local newspaper
organs. ihis fact gives additional
importance 10 the size of the cir
eulation lists of he country papers
an individual who has nothing to
give The pubic but news is called
a gossip. While gosslps may be-
very useful Ia a way, they are held
Ia low esteem by the discerning
public. And even a country news
paper carries but little weight in
illage and neighborhood affairs if
L. gifts TO the public consist of
iothing but news
Like an individual, a paper shoulf u
rave character and without II there
\ but little excuse for existence.
Md IN this connection il might be ,
'ertinent to remark that even news e
an have character. It is often q
ossible and proper to give a news p
.em complementary spice that ~
dds flavor 90 an otherwise common y
lace statement u
luhe public Is entitled 10 the best -
lere Is and so is the individual ~
ms applies TO the news items as ~
ell as everything else An indiVi- n,
nal is entitled TO be known by the ~
Isl there is IN him and The public :.
luuld be- satisfied by nothing less. -,
his view OF the matter. the oc- -
lpaiion of the local news writer a
ke- on an Importance not usually ~
igued To Il w
However. The leading influences IN
airing ON the character of paper ~.
e determined largely By The ed- ar
'rial expressions contained there !
and those general quotations or of
prints that bear ON topics the ref
llor desires 20 impress ON his ha,
ldcrs lslo editorial field IS open ine
every newspaper no matter how The
all tlW circulation or how Inn 10
4 The means Of publication. Par
f. Inv local paper clean and GOO
sS,s does 10 contribute 10 the or
ot che community. is Il mo-
advocate 81 right and Justice. lrai
is q potent factor In pro- y
TING prosperity within The range har
is circulalioss ON the answer emil
these ami similar questions viii disc
character aud influence of the stat
'lealion depend boo
d a business world all enterprise, the
81 eventual, b. tried out hv not,
'iNins lhe iouchStone 81 business thei
leplrs The country paper is
exception to The mile. A paper
q paN or b cannUi hong exist. =
order lo PAY 10 muSi carter in yoo'
lees0rc Ca llN interests Of those ea ~.
, can profiianly use It's columns ~.
rrficr 10 do Tins e Is not nee -,