Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-18


- ca,a upwards OF Thousand" Oh
vIouslv with SO small circulation 10 sho" ioI
fifteen years of struggle, ne must nay - - 80
the publication more out OF sense % uuly - W
community than from any hope OF pront
In ITO Campbell lost his job as postmaster pu1
refused 70 turn over the Newsletter to William
Brooker the new postal oHclai. Nhe'eupon
BROKER started rival paper, the boston va
zerte Campbell continued the Newsletter LOT
three wears finally retiring In 1722 and leaving II
In charge OF Bartholomew Green, who Tor many
years had been the printer who got out the paper.
The appearance OF the Gazette, which was nfs1
published ON December Il, 17l9, was OF more sis-
nfcance than the fact that II was the secoiu
newspaper In the colonies. For the printer who
SET the tyne for 1t and laboriously printed the
little sheets was a young man named James
Franklin. Thus there came into American Jour-
ualisnl name which was to add ulster to tha
profession for all time to come. Two years later
James Franklin set up q printing press OF Ills
own and on August 7, It'll, there came from that
press the first Issue OF the New England Couranhc
Bieyer has well said that its appearance marked
II new stage In the development OF American
journalism The Courant was the first newspaper
established In any colony in ayowed opposition to
Its recognized leaders, rs we'll as the nrst 10 pup
lish essays, letters and verse. When on
4 March night In 1722 Benjamin Franklin, SIX
shop, slipped under the door of the Courant office
his first contribution. letter signed Silence Do
good the paper secured valuable contributor
who was destined to become one Of the abest or
colonial editors
James Franklin was encouraged to start his
paper In opposition to the Gazette, the official
organ of the postmaster who succeeded BROKER.
and the Newsletter. still published BY Campbell.
by group OF men who were not at all In sym
pathy with the Purltanica ideas Of the leaders In
Boston They could not have secured better
man for the job, especially In view OF the ability
OF his young brother, for the new paper immedi-
ately began stirring things up In the colony. II
Is interesting to note that the first act In the
stirring up process was to oppose the practice
OF inoculating for smallpox, a method OF combat
ing the disease which was supported by Rev
Increase Mather and other. Puritan leaders In
fact they succeeded In stirring up such row In
this matter and In other crticsJns OF the author
tiles which appeared In the Courant that the
council finally decided to curb James Franklin's
activities
This was done In January, 1928, but James
Franklin outwitted the authorities by substitute
ing the name OF his brother Benjamin for his
own as printer and publisher OF the Courant ant
for short time the seventeen-year-old boy con
timed In that position Finally he quarrelet
York; and then to Philadelphia where later al
editor and publisher Of the Pennsylvania Gazette
he made his mark the most brilliant editor o
colonial times and one OF the greatest In al
American journalism
Ii to John Campbell and the Boston News-Let
ter belongs the credit of publishing the first II
lustratlon In an American newspaper, to Benja
min Franklin and the Pennsylvania Gazette be
longs the credit for printing the first edltoria
cartoon and one of the most powerful cartoon
that has ever appeared In our newspapers. Camp
bells Illustration was wood cut reproduction o
a new flag which the United Kingdom OF Engan
and Scotland was to use hereafter and 1t az
peared In the Newsletter OF January 1926, 1901
Franklins famous Snake Cartoon printed Il
the Pennsylvania Gazette for May 0. 1884, jus
before congress OF representatives for the Eng
lIsh colonies was called to meet at Albany t
prepare for the coming French and Indian wal
Showing the disjonted segments OF the snake
each one representing one OF the colonies 1t
warning ..JoIn or Die" came to be regarded a
a sy.lbol for united action by the colonsts nc
only n resisting the encroachments OF the Frenc
and Indians but also during the opposition to tn
Stamp Acl In 1765 and again at the outbreak
the Revolution.