White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1936-12-10
THIS BUSINESS OF EDITING A
ONE-MAN NEWSPAPER

much the readers and the contrib
utors to small weekly newspapers
understand of the problem of get
ting suitable reading matter in the
publication. Apparently most peo-
pie think the editor must be at his
wits end to get enough material to
fill it. Well, here's a shock to those
who have that impression: It's not
so.
On the contrary, we get far too
much good material. In fact, had
we half dozen similar papers, we
could not publish all the worthy
articles we have access to. We get
bulletins from the Census report;
WPA news; news from three univ
ersities, normal school; news
from the Forest Service, the Con-
servation program, the trade news,
hand-me- down editorials, political
news, commercial news, fraternal
news, horticultural and agricultural
write ups galore, etc., EVERY week.
Each of the twenty or more en-
thusiastic collaborators makes sure
we have enough-they'll average a
bout two columns each. And their
stuff is passable, much of it very
good. Now, as to selection: What
should one put in and what should
enc leave out? Note: Several of
t,.ih ori1, mind
the average country editors failings
as to intellect, are verbose, not
terse; involved, not coherent; I'M
journalistic, in other words. The
time required to read all Of these
would-be helpful columns would be
sufficient to earn the editor twenty
dollars, if he were doing job work.
Well, how much space have we
to fill with extraneous matter? The
Spokesman devotes one page to
White Bluffs and it's personal go
ings and doings 1t devotes ano-
Their to Hanford Our editorial
page must divide it's nlaunderings
with the school news and ADVERTISE
rnents. That leaves only the front
page for extraneous matter. The
first page is devoted, as far as pos
sible, to Priest Rapids Valley news.
It also does what we can to COOP
crate with the county agent, the
home economics agent, the welfare
agent, and local charities and pro-
grams. Therefore, unless real
paucity of local happenings ensues,
it is apparent that we shall average
a use for extraneous articles Of far
less than one column a week. Our
contributors are ten times Biblical;
they pile on the good work forty
fold. Yet we need that help. Even
though we have to condense two
column feature into a local. But
we wish, sometimes, that Webster
(the great Noah had been born
lazy. 4
Now, here's a little sermon, be-
cause it states our newspaper creed.
Every country newspaper should re-
feet, not only the activities of it's
community, but it's thoughts and
mental reactions to affairs of pub
lie interest. The newspaper should
be eminently cooperative, pre-em-
inently local-an aid, so far as is
possible, in securing, through pub
LEFTY, what every community wants
and needs, whether it be paved
roads or a new doctor.
Therefore, this paper will, while
under the present management,
bend over backward to oblige local
contributors. We want your con-
tributions Well not use an inch
of brilliant outside contributions If
you will help us out. Only one con-
clifton applies to that-you must be
prepared to sign your name as con-
A..sL..A<., 1xyo,YIJ Mt lo foiy. r.