The Farmington times., 1917-07-20
COUNTRY PAPERS
STICK TO FACTS

Just how thoroughly the country
newspaper appreciates the value of
truth in news is demonstrated by l..
B. Funk, publisher of the Oak Hill
(O) Press, in reply to criticism of
the country press recently volun-
teered by an advertising man at
tached to one of the larger agencies.
The criticism was offered that coun-
try newspapers publish matters of
trivial moment, the critic evidently
failing to view "news" from anything
but a metropolitan standpoint. This
is what Mr.. Funk has to say in an
swer to the charge:
These fellows sit back in their
swivel chairs in their city offices and
try to measure country people by
the same false half bushel measure
that is so often used in computing
the value of city folks. They know
the city people are not what they
seem, yet they try to apply the same
thoughts and actions to the free and
straightforward people of the open
country.
This offender says he often reads
in the rural weeklies such items as
John Smith has painted his barn"
He then argues there is no news val
ue in such items. He does not know
what he is talking about. Such items
are the most valuable of those pub
lished by the country weeklies. Such
items are true and are told in a sim
pie manner Make a comparison of !
the item the city brother holds up
to ridicule with any of the society |
and other platitudinous articles that |
fill the columns of the big dailies.
Just the other day we read an ac-
count of marriage in one of the big |
city papers. Here are some excerpts: |
'The bride is the beautiful and charm-
ing daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. -.
Her beauty has won for her many
her personal charm IS
Of great magnetic force; her activ-
ty in church work has been so great
hat it will be hard to find another to
ill her place. She is held in the high
est esteem by all, and her compan-
ons are glad to see her happily mat.
sd. yet are sorry to lose her from
heir ranks" Then followed a lot of
similar gushy junk about the bride
groom.
Now, it so happens we have known
ne contracting parties for many years.
The bride is homely girl. She
oined the church when a girl in her
Gems and attended the different meet
ngs as much as and no more than the
ordinary citizens. For each person
Who can be found to speak good
yord for her we will guarantee to
AXE up dozen who will swear she is
snob. And the groom can be meas
red in the small measure.
The marriage should have been re-
'orted about like this: "On Wednes-
ay evening, May 8, Miss Susan Sun
'onnet was married TO Sammy Stub
.lefield." 1t is always better to tell
he truth and then stop.
II the country paper was to take
leaf out of the book of the city
'aper it would report the barn paint
ng somewhat after this manner:
John Smith two weeks ago Sc
ured the services of two of the most
rtistic painters and decorators the
ounty affords. They brought with
hem all the ingredients for mixing
heir own colors. After sandpapering
he barn and finally rubbing it down
nth pumice stone the artists made
epeated tests in an effort to secure
ast the right shade to bring the :
arm into sympathy with the land .
cape at all seasons of the year. The
olor selected is such as was never
cen before, for it was compounded
Or this one job. The work has now
cen finished and it is superb"
If the editor of the rural weekly
I'D as many lies in his paper as his
ty brother does he would be drum
led out of town as the greatest ass