The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-03-23
FRED TURNER AS A
NEWSPAPER MAN

Many of us in Logan will always
remember Fred Turner as editor Of
The Logan Republican and as one
Of the best newspaper men the city
has even been fortunate enough to
possess. He was born newspaper
man. He knew what news is and
could see II a mile away and scent
IL coming months beforehand. lie
would as soon have forgotten his
trousers AS his notebook and into
that notebook went interesting, VI
tai bits of news about you, me and
everyone who Lad ever had any con
nection with Cache Valley. Every
morning saw him at the railroad sta
tion, notebook in hand ready to note
down the arrival and departure Of
Logan guests Every time he went
TO Salt Lake he would while away
the dreary three or four hours that
separate us from our capital with
genial conversation with his fellow
travellers and the edition of The Re.
publican on his return was always
particularly newsy. Every Sunday
Mr.. Turner attended the Parents
class in the morning and meeting in
the afternoon and he know from close
fellowship with his church just what
editorials and news would suit the
sympathies of his constituents. A
remarkable thing about this mingling
with his fellowman for the sake of
news was that Mr.. Turner never
tired of II. Your average reporter,
even those made in Heaven, enjoys
chasing up Tom, Dick and Harry for
about a month and then prays to be
made a hermit. But Mr.. Turner en-
joyed his association with his fellow
townsmen so much that he never tir-
ed Of them as human beings or as
news material.
His association with Mr.. n. Ralph !
Moore was particularly happy. He
supplied the sterling qualities of bus. |
mess sense and intimate knowledge |
of the news values of his community .
while Mr.. Moore provided an enter
tanning style Of writing, abundant
ideas, broad journalistic outlook |
and now and then bit of vitriol.
Mr.. Turner did his best to keep pet.
ty personalities, and private grudge
out Of his paper. The people don't
care about editors fighting with each
other, even II they do say clever
things" he would often remark,
What they want is the news, that
is, something about themselves and
their neighbors. And yet he had a
touch of human and pleasant malice
In his nature which kept him from
being trampled on like doormat.
He chuck,ed rice all day over a 10.
cal which congratulated certain
charming lady on becoming a grand
mother. The lady in question was
VIGOROUSLY fond of being considered,
only twenty nine"
Mr.. Turner knew the power OF
the press AID used It for good, A
year before the fiftieth anniversary
of the settling of Logan he began
having interest in the event worked
up in the editorials of the paper
He was an ardent supporter OF Mr..
Harris and Mr.. Bacon when they
founded the Boosters Club. Politi
clans knew that he was a power to
be reckoned with and the trusting
public of Cache was kept alive to the
dangers OF unwise investments, es
pecially in bogus stocks, by his
wide awake. commonsense, articles.
His campaign against exchanging
ones money for stock in inelastis
rubber. in nonexistent bananas, or
in fabulous metals away from home
was almost the last feature of his
control of The Republican.
Mr.. Turner'S relations with his
Office force and his printers were
most pleasant and companionable.
Old and new subscribers liked to
drop into the office and share the
fun. They would always find the
big chief seated at his desk going
over his accounts, discussing editor
ials, producing locals from his new
er dying notebook, amusing the of
iice with tales Of his boyhood when
he would rather box than eat or stor
les Of his sheriff days when he had
roamed all over Utah and the neigh
boring states in the pursuits of jus.
tiee. Sometimes in medltatiye mo.