The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-12-01
Country Newspapers Clean

Sometime ago certain person asked us why we
did print item concerning bit of juicy scam
dial, stating that it would have made interesting
reading, and that something like that would create
a bigger demand for the paper. That question has
not been asked once, but many times, and always
the person asking it stated that it would make the
paper interesting. Country publishers try to
print their newspaper that it will be welcome in
all the homes of their territories and that cannot be
done by printing scandal. The following from the
Christian Science Monitor, generally hailed in news
paper circles the ceanest of them ALL has the
following to say about the country weeklies:
Turning from the city to the small town
press exchanges that come to the editors desk
is like stepping from the slums full of vice,
into old fashioned garden sweet with Law
ender and thyme and the scent of perennial
flowers The pages of the big daies
full of murder, thevery, immortality and sell
fishness that the better news is obscured by
these glazing shatterngs of the ecaogue.
One puts the paper aside with feeling of
depression and heartache that the world is so
full of terrible and unhappy things.
Then picking up the papers that record
the happenings of the little towns around us,
gains renewed faith in life. Here
set forth only that which unlifts a commun-
ity-the activities of the business men, the
church items, the happy social gatherings of
the people, the marriages, births and deaths,
farmers items, and all the thousands and one
daily occurrences that make up the simple
annals of the great common people, who are
really the foundation of this country of ours.
Scandals seldom published in the
country newspaper, but if it SO happens that
decency demands it, the uglier details
omitted given a kindly touch that is wide
ly different from the unfeeing publicity of
the city press. The offenders may
neghbors, or people we have rubbed elbows
with all our lives They real human be-
ings to their town paper, while to the great
city dalies they are merely grains of sort
that grounded out hourly in their news
mills.
Sometimes people speak lightly of the
country newspaper but it is of the most
potent and uplifting factors in national
existence"
Advertising to be successful must be based cir
culation If attention is paid to that phase then
the advertiser is not getting his share of the cir
cuating dollar
Oil and liquor don't mix, but both in the
limeight in departments of the state government
Even though the skids creased for offenders, it
isn't oil right for the public.
Missouri voters in the recent election turned
down amendment to increase the gas tax in that
state. They were paying two cents tax per gallon
and the amendment called for one cent raise, with
elaborate road program. People of the SHOW
Me- state satisfied with what they had in taxes
and they did not propose to vote any more on to
themselves
Nearly exhausted funds in various departments
of the state voted by the last legislature and the
states biggest debt which has passed the 100000
mark, do not augur well for reduction in taxes
Neither do they suggest that economy has been the
watchword of government we were SO apty
told in prediction speeches. little pruning will
have to be done all along the line to lift the load and
to pay the debt.
Carl Eastwood, of LeSueur, sOyear-old dean Of
Minnesota editors died at his home Monday. He was
founder of the LeSueur News-Herald, newspaper
he had published for % years. He had been ill for
two months, but up to that time was quite active in
his work He published newspapers at Lakefield,
Heron Lake, Mankato, Worthington and Menahga.
He served collector of customs during the Hoover
administration and postmaster at Lakefield. Mr..
Eastwood well known throughout the state, and
especially among the publishers.