The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-01-09
SAYS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNA-
LtsM OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF OREGON
ST. FRANc|SV|uLE THE SMALLEST
TOWN GAINING DISTINCTION
Interesting information Concerning
Equipment Used in Producing
This Paper.

1t is with no small degree of pride
that the publishers of The True Demo.
crat report to their readers the fact
that this paper has been classified as
one of the fifty-two best country news.
papers in the United States by no less
an authority than the Department of
Journalism of the University of Oregon.
A letter recently received from Eric
W. Allen of the University of Oregon
contains this: "A QUESTIONABLE re-
Gently sent out by the department of
journalism of the University of Oregon
among the newspaper men of the
United States resulted in the selection
by these newspaper men of 81 country
newspapers as among the best Your
newspaper is among the best"
This QUESTIONABLE was sent to the
editors of leading metropolitan news
papers and schools of journalism, and
follows:
MAY we ask you to tell us what, in
your opinion, or in that of your ex.
change editor, is the best country
paper in the United States? This is
not voting contest; it is simply a
request for advice. We wish to pro-
vide the exchange table Of our depart.
ment with the best publications of this
kind that the country affords, and we
are asking the opinion of one OF more
representative newspaper men in each
of the 4S states.
"By country paper / do not mean
the small city daily, though some
dailies might come within the defini-
ton. We mean the intimate, neighbor.
hood paper, giving all the news of the
home folks, and keeping at all times
close to the grassroots. 1t should be a
successful paper, and should hold the
affections or at least the lasting in.
terest of its local community"
We are in receipt of a list of the 81
papers thus selected, and reference to
the census reports discloses the fact
that st. Francisville is the smallest
town on the list to receive the dis
tinction of being the home of one of
the "52 bests country newspapers in
the United States" with towns as
large as Emporia, Kansas, on the list.
Necessarily, The True Democrats cir
culation, advertising patronage and
news area are limited by this fact, but
incidentally it shows that this paper
has, within it's circumscribed limits,
filled the requirements Of well-con-
Quoted country weekly. The True
Democrat is known as both fearless
and sincere. Its editorials are quoted
frequently among the state press, not
excepting the metropolitan dailies. 1t
is known in Louisiana as a newspaper
whose opinions cannot be coerced, and
whose editorial space cannot be bought.
The True Democrats neat typograph-
ical appearance, tastefully set adver-
tisements and good news service with
in it's own limited field have also been
factors in determining the dictinction
it has received. Indeed, The True
Democrats name was among the first
Twenty-Five sent in by the critics, re-
spending to the University of Oregon's
questionable.
Some of the papers thus honored are
collecting a copy of each Of the 81
papers and expect to bind them and
preserve them as a souvenir. A copy
|of The True Democrat is being sent
to each of the 81 other papers, and for
their information we give the follow
ing information concerning the equip.
ment of the plant used in the produc.
ton of this paper: Model Mergen.
thaler Linotype, the best composing
machine made; Babcock cylinder press;
Eclipse folder; Chandler & Price paper
cutter; Chandler & Price Sx12 Gordon
jobber; Southworth punch; Latham
lstitcher; Franklin perforater; an abund
ance of late type faces, bought in
weight fonts and in series; the ability
of adding new machinery and materia
as needed.
The publishers of The True Democra
Continued on page two.)