Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-05-22
THE SMART ALECK."

ceived a communication 10y special
delivery signed "R. Henry" purport-
ing to be report of a social affair
held at Greensboro. The editor
thought the whole thing sounded lit
tie overdrawn and dumped 1t into the
waste basket along with other mater
ial received every week without sig
nature. 1t now appears that the same
"Smart Aleck" submitted the same
thing to other papers in hopes to spite
someone through the columns of the
press. The Hardwick Gazette says:
In publishing the item in reference
to the leap year dance held at the
Bend last week. the Gazette was used
as medium to carry out a spite,
while on our part the item was pub
Hshed in good faith. We believed at
the time it WAS of sincere commenda
ton on the success of the affair, but
have since learned that just the OPP
posite was intended and that even the
name signed was not the full name ct
the author of the item. 1t IS hardly
necessary to say how mean and con
temptible is the person who resorts to
this method of seeking revenge. The
trick condemns the author in the eyes
of all who read the item.
Regarding the same item and the
same subject the St. Johnsbury Re-
publican says:
A volunteer correspondent brought
an item of the same import into the
Republican Office, asked to have it
inserted and offered to pay for it. The
item did not have the ear marks of
responsibility and was therefore held
up. 1t was signed r. Henry and pur-
ported to come from Greensboro Bend.
This would-be impOstOr CORE spoudent
is liable to get into difficulty if he
continues to aspire to this kind of &C.
ton. A bill was introduced in the
last legislature to adequately punish
such offenses and this fellow should
change his line Of business.
There are innumerable people in the
world of this type and the Monitor
can think of no better name for them
than Smart Alecks." They try to
use a public conveyance in which to
give someone a private slap, and
sometimes succeed in getting by the
ever watchful editor We hope "R.
Henry" has received his moneys
worth,
Another class Of people drop into
give you an item, stating that they
desire to put one over" on Jones,
the thought not even entering their
heads that they are doing anything
Of nj II &c r.
zone over" on Jones let him do it but
don't ask the editor to be the means
to the end
Still another class of people, usual
ly organizations, appear to think they
have a perfect right to all the space
they desire from week to week to ex-
plot the aims and desires Of their Or
ganizat ton, never even thanking the
editor for space when it is given. but
kicking him if it is not. Many an or
ganization raises nearly if not all Of
it's finances by entertainm ants and
public gatherings, depending upon the
newspapers for publicity It seldom
occurs to such organizations that they
owe the editor anything for the free
advertising they get. as well as for
notifying their members of all reg
ular and special meetings, asking the
members to return loaned dishes, etc.
All of which Saves" the organiza-
ton so much bother, we are told, or
eff you can't get this in we shall have
to send postal cards to every mem
ber," and in such cases saves them
money.
The Monitor feels that it is particu
larly free from SD IN requests and be
lieves that a newspaper, as a public
conveyance of news and other infor
nation that is for the benefit of the
public, should give much of this kline
of publicity, but there is limit t.
all things and the thanklessness o
the task is sometimes discouraging.
Probably if every newspaper il
Vermont got one per cent of ever
dollar that is raised through the fire
publicity given in it's columns a
editors would be riding in automobile
instead of most of US going afoot.