Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-10-08
RURAL NEWSPAPER A BOOSTER.
First to Realize and Work for Com
munity improvements; Leaders
of Thought.

such publications live up to their op
portunities in battling for progress, ]
Kelly Pool, editor of the Centrali5
Courier, in his response to the ad
dress of welcome by Edward Hidde1
at the dinner given by the Business
Mems league of st. Louis on the occa-
sion of the forty-eighth annual conven,
ton of the Missouri Editorial ~associa-
ton, said:
'The fact is that the Invest wire
emanating from the human dynamo
today is the editor of a country news
paper. He is a dynamic force thai
brings things to pass, makes the
wheels go round in the community
where he operates, and causes two
blades of grass to grow where none
grew before.
Newspaper Mans Age.
The twentieth century is strictly a
newspaper mans age. The rural edi-
tor has come into his own and is now
having his day at court.
under the buring focus of his pro-
gressive editorial lenses the murkey,
fog of sa~tndpatism, B~ourbonism, moss
backism-the unholy trinity of stag
7>ation-lifts it's haZy curtain from the
community and the shining sun of
progress inspires hope and heart and
enthusiasm.
under the persistent call of the
rural editors optimistic bugle the
sleeping giant of enterprise awakes,
Libraries are coaxed from Carnegie,
federal buildings wooed from con-
OrncC nnU ohnrohn1 Iie4 fIoo;, 1+o+o1-,
spires in praise towards God, paved
streets run like corridors of gold
through town and hamlet, white ways
break up the night and make beautiful
the streets, waterworks minister to
the health and happiness of the com
munity and commercial clubs spring
into life and service.
"It is the rural editor who calls at
tention to the unsightly, Anticipated,
old antebellum, courthouse, without
protection for the county records Or
convenience in the transaction of pub
lie affairs, and he keeps pricking the
tanks of Indifference with the spurs of
civic pride until a new temple of JUS
tice arises at the capital of his coun-
ty-a monument to his progressive
LESS anu 10 HIS 0uIOI PRISE.
ct was a country editor who figured
from the coming tower of education,
first sights the needs of a new high
school building for his town or village.
He names the advantages and itemizes
the dividends arising from such an in
vestment.
Strives for High Mark.
"In spite of obstacles and opposition
he keeps driving straight toward the
high educational mark until the COM
sees the project through his
editorial eyes, and the brain factory Of
his dreams becomes an accomplished
in brick and mortar.
"Who is 1t that made the question
good roads a paramount issue? 1t
was the country editor, Hezit was
who Matched, the first good roads germ
and sowed seeds of agitation that have
ince terminated into an educated pub
lie pocketbook that is willing to pay
Tor better highways.
cit was a country editor who figured
but the cost of bad roads to the farm
or with products to market and set it ;
against the cost of better roads.
He is the man who demonstrated
hat nothing else which touches the
life of the agriculturist is quite SO x
as bad roads and nothing else
quite so profitable as good roads.
without the rural editors support
state highways would be but an idides-
cent dream; civic righteousness but
IN empty phrase, and community pro-
,ress an impossible performance.
Man of High Ideals.
"Where the progressive force of a
of the state is led by a corps
# militant newspaper men, alert and
live with the spirit Of the century,
you do not have to put your a to the
ground in order to hear behind their
'anguard and line of battle the steady
ramp of the army of enterprise, with
is battalions of farm advisers, idrm-
RS Institutes, agricultural bulletins,
ilos, rotation of crops, scientific soil
and cultivation, cement
.ulverts, steel bridges, splendid turn
likes, county seat highways, beautiful
aodern homes and everything that
makes a community a better place in
Which to live. u
"The rural editor is so thoroughly
discriminating. knowledge throughout
he land that the government of the
eople has been brought closer to the
eople than ever before.
''The sphere of the rural editors in
is not, however, circumscribed
v a material horizon. He is a man :,
i high ideals and >
lest be the man of high ideals, !,
Who fails today, tomorrow and for
days to come, =
Tut never lowers his standard, never i
~surrenders to defeat, ~
ill hand and foot, till eye and ear, {.
i'll vocal chords and tongue. =
i'll heart and mind are disciplined, j.
nd all abilities of body and soul
re marshaled by the will
nd move forward to the drum beat
of perfection" !
PROHIBITION FOR 8. CAROLINA. :