The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-12-08

human nature pafaQeS 1CSelI across
the experiences of a newspaperman.
From close range he is privileged to
observe the fuctuating emotions of
the public. Like the tides of the sea,
they ebb and flow.
The small town editor is particu-
larly privileged in this respect. News
papermen in other fields, however,
may not agree that so-called country
journalism affords broader avenues
for studying human nature. My
workshop is in a town of slightly
over ten thousand population and the
territory that surrounds it.
Recently was talking with the city
editor of a large metropolitan daily.
81 can't see," he said, where you
can get kick out of running a news
paper in a small town. Life there is
too dull. No excitement. I've got to
be where things are going on in big
way"
Well, l admit there's something
exciting about the proportions of a
metropolitan daily. One can say the
same thing about huge plant where
automobiles are turned out in mass
production. But is there anything es-
pecially exciting about Tightening
bolts, day in and day out, bolts To-
Gated on the same place on every car
body that comes down the line? The
finished automobile is fine to look
upon, but the efforts of so many in
dividuals are consumed in it's produc-
ton that the result is a very imper-
sonal thing. The workman cannot
see himself in the product; he has
merely frightened bolt or covered
a fender with paint.
The greater the newspaper, the
greater is the need of specialization.
Specialization means restriction and
restriction means routine. When
business becomes routine, then it be-
comes dull and unexciting.
do not mean to say that the small
town editor should pick up a copy of
his paper and say, "This is what l
have done" Most assuredly the small
town paper is not a one-man task
But somehow the duties and respon-
SibilitieS of the small town editor are
so interviewer in his paper that it be-
Nf IL T. 10,
as well as editorials. Letters regard
ing subscriptions are frequently di-
rected to him personally. He is charg-
ed personally with the mistakes of
the paper and if an editorial happens
to meet with happy accord the people
will say, "Did you read what so-and-
SO had to say?" And many will stop
the editor on the street to express
approval or disagreement with an ed
itorial viewpoint.
Pike county, Mississippi, for ex-
ample, had expended approximately
two million dollars of state, federal
and county money over a period of
twenty years in an effort to eradicate
Texas cattle ticks. Farmers had been
forced by law to dip their cattle at
regular intervals. Watts were con-
structed at various places in the oun-
ty and farmers had to go over the
range, herd their cattle, drive them to
the vat, and then force them to
plunge in and take a bath in an ar
senic solution.
With this program executed year
in and year out, naturally farmers
were rightfully irritated Many watts
were dynamited. Finally the state
made large appropriation to COM
plete the job of graduating ticks in
the few remaining "ticky" counties.
Within a few years the drive was
successfully completed. The ticks
were gone.
Pike county, however, borders the
state of Louisiana and Louisiana had
neglected tick eradication work and
ticks were plentiful there. 1t was
soon seen that Louisiana's "ticky"
cattle crossing the Mississippi line
would re-infest Pike county herds and
thus destroy all the results of the tick
eradication movement.
The county supervisors employed
range riders but this was Intellectual
for while rider was at one end of
a beat stray Louisiana yearling
could cross the line and distribute
enough ticks to re-infest a whole
community.
The county was placed under quar-
antine; cattle could not be sold.
Farmer son the line were ordered to
continue dipping. Discomfort was
rife.
A local newspaper suggested that
the county build a double line fence
between the states with mechanical
cattle guards on all roads. A double
fence, ten feet apart, was necessary
as cattle could rub against each other
and so distribute ticks if only sin
ole fpnpe Uare need This incidan- |