Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1921
BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF NINTH CONGRES
SIONAL DISTRICT OF GEORGIA EDITORS
Hon. John F. Shannon, of the Commerce News,
Commerce, Ga., Writes Interestingly of the
Personnel of the Ninth District
Pencil Pushers.
The following pH per was prepared
and read by Mr. J. F. Hhannon, editor
of the Commerce News at a meeting of
the editors of the 9th district held in
Gainesville June 18th:
I have been requested to write a
treatise on the personnel of the editors
of the ninth congressional district. This
task, pleasant though it may be, should
have been assigned to one more famil
iar with the group hs a whole. Some of
them I know personally, others by rep
utation, but unfortunately for myself
1 am denied even a meager acquaint
ance with many of the editors of the
district. Because of this, what I say
will Ik* open to the criticism of favor
itism. I must write, if I write at all,
of those 1 know either personally or
fiom reputation.
Although quite a young man myself,
I pride myself in that one of my char
acteristics is found in the fact that 1
cherish a veneration for the aged. By
this, I do not mean to insinuate that
there are any aged men in the group of
editors of this district, for the oldest of
them feel yet quite young. By aged,
1 have reference only to those who have
served longest in the newspaper busi
ness.
1 regard it as being fortunate for
(lie people of the district as u whole,
that there htc among the editors of the
district, a number of editors who are
uo novices in the business. There aie
several eitors in the district who have
grown old in the service. Experience
in any line or enterprise is an invalua
ble asset. It’s wortli while to know
how. The young man just from the
halls of the best medical college in the
land may have the best techinal educa
tion to Ik- obtained, but he lacks the
most valuable feature of a medical ed
ucfltion—that of experience. The
young gentleman who lias just gradu
ated from law school may be suprls
ed when lie finds himself clientless for
several years, although he has a gradu
ation certificate on the walls of his of
fice. But few men of age and experi
ence are in sympathy with that fellow
who affirmed that when a man reaches
the age of sixty he should have his
head chopped off. for tlie reason that
he is no longer efficient,
First of all, I would pay tribute to
a gentleman, who, in all probability
has been in the newspaper business lon
ger than any editor or newspaper man
in the district. I refer to Harve Craig
of Gainesville who has been connected
with newspapers as editor and other
wise, during the past 47 years. None
but newspaper men know, or can im
agine tin- vicissitude and experiences of
a life of that long term in a print shop.
Mr. Craig knows of the hardships of
country newspaperdom; of the crude
methods of half a century ago, compar
ed to those of today. The modern
press nml the type setting machine
were unknown and undreamed of in
the* early experiences of his professlon
h) life. His first work was with the
Gainesville Advertiser, a republican
paper, as reporter, edited by John W.
O’Neal, United State's Commissioner.
In 1875 lie went with the Gainesville
Southron, edited by Pete Lawshe. In
issit he become associated' with the
Jackson Herald. The Gainesville Ea
gle was started in istitt by \V. A. Mitch
ell. When Mr. Craig sold the Jackson
Herald lie bought the Gainesville Ea
gle. and was editor of that paper for
a number of years. Recently in' sold
the Eagle with a determination to take
a rest. Then came one of the lonely
periods of liis life. He was like a fish
out of water. Try as he would bo
could not wash the ink from his bauds
nor bury the desire to go back into the
printshop, and back lie went. The prob
ability is that lie will die in the har
ness. Editor Until; lias always been
a fearless writer. 11c wore BO man's
hat. He had opinions of his own and
did not hesitate to express them. He
was no straddler. His readers always
knew where to find him. In a spirited
controversy be was a foe to dread and
if n<*ces*Nary he used English with sharp
teeth. Not many who knew him cov
eted a controversy with hitu. But his
heart has always been saturated with
kindliness and pathos. He was. and
js the friend of the weak, the needy,
'and of the broken-hearted. At times
his writings were masterpleees of beau
tiful English. Henry Grady, in his
palmiest day*, never wrote anything
more jiathetle nor any masterpiece
couched in more beautiful English than
was Mr. Craig's tribute to the life of
nis tieloved companion. That one pro
duction alone will stHiid as a monument
to his fielity, to his devotion, to his love
for tin* companion of his life and to
ids masterful use of the choicest Eng
lish.
Another gentleman who has worn
the newspaper harness for many years
is IV. B. Townsend, of the Dahlonega
Nugget. He is the marvel of journal
ism in the district. He is a one in a
hill variety. He copies no one, He is
the heart and soul of originality. He
is perhaps the only newspaper man in
this district who says what he pleases
in his paper, regardless of who it may
please or displease. He goes all the
gaits. He is devil, pressman, printer
and editor. In addition to all this he
is the ordinary of the county. More
over, they tell us he is one of the weal
thiest men in the comity. We are cu
rious to know whether or not he made
all that money publishing the Nugget.
If so, the Nugget has the right name.
The Mouutaiu Signal, it is said was the
oldest newspaper in Georgia, with the
possible exception of the Augusta Con
stitutionalist. The Signal was started
in Dahlonega long before the Civil War.
The Nugget was established in 1890.
Later Mr. Townsend bought the plant.
He bought on three years time. He did
not have a dollar in his pocket when he
bought it, but he paid for it in two
years. Since he bought the Nugget he
has seen the other paper in his town
change hands six times and has finally
attended the funeral of the other paper,
but did not wear crepe on that occasion
He sets all his type by hand and does
all the office job work. His education
is limited. He was a poor boy and
there were no free schools in his young
days. His education consisted of a
smattering acquaintance with Websters
Blue Back and McGuffcy’s First Read
er. His knowledge of correct English
has been obtained at the type case. He
never writes anything for his paper.
He goes to the type case with the eopy
in his mind and reduces liis ideas to
cold type.
John Holder, editor of the Jackson
Herald, likewise, has had long expe
rience in the newspaper business. Grad
uating at the State University, he spent
a few years teaching the young idea
how to shoot. It was the privilege of
this writer to pay Mr. Holder the first
money he earned after his graduation.
At that time the writer was County
School Commissioner of Franklin coun
ty ami Mr. Holder was one of the teach
ers of tlie county, at the heud of the
school of Martin, which at that time
was one of the best schools in the coun
ty. The amount paid by the state may
not have been more than a hundred
dollars, but Mr. Holder was not so in
timately acquainted or associated with
money then as has been in latter years.
He felt like he was rich when he re
ceived that check which represented
Die first money he had ever made.
The first issue of the Jackson Herald
was printed on June the 12th, 1875, and
was entitled The Forest News. So, the
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Herald was forty-six years old last
Sunday. Maleomb Stafford was the
editor. Mr. Holder associated himself
with the paper thirty years ago and has
since been its editor. The Herald,
now as always, enjoyes a wide local
circulation and a good advertising pat
ronage. When Mr. Holder gets an oc
casional breathing spell from other
business enterprise's, and from public
duties he enlivens the editorial page
with contributions that are read and
frequently copied.
If all the material had not been con
sumed in the makeup of editor Town
send we might reasonably have inferr
ed that George D. Rucker, editor of the
Alpharetta Free Frees, is a first cousin
of Townsend. In some respects they
are much alike, in others, far apart as
the poles. Townsend lias never fallen
in love with the stock law. and Rucker
has not purchased any stock in the
Coca-Cola Cos. He is unique and un
like any other editor, in the district, in
that no tobacco manufacturer or cigar
ette maker can get an advertisement in
the Free Press for love or money. A
hungry man has never been able to un
derstand it, when he sees another fel
low positively refuse to eat. Some of
Mr. Rucker’s brethren of tlie press can
not understand why it is he can muster
the backbone to turn down a good fat
advertisement contract, that is as good
as a United States Bond. But Mr.
Rucker claims to the capacity to dis
tinguish between a sound and an un
sound egg. Answering one of his crit
ics in a recent issue of tlie Free Press,
Mr. Rucker says: “The Free Press
would feel that it had lost it’s own soul
for the sake of filthy lucre if it induc
ed young mefit to form tlie liquor, or
Coca-Cola or cigarette habit.” A theo
ry is one thing and fact is another
and quite a different tiling. A theory
may lie easily overcome but facts are
very stubborn tilings. The fact is, no
father would advise or be willing for
his son to drink or smoke. If nothing
else Mr. Rucker is consistent. He is
a representative of an element which,
while it may lie small now, will grow
in years to come. Whiskey lias been
outlawed, and sooner or later tobacco
will suffer tlie same fate. Even now,
no young minister can get admission
into the Methodist church to preach
the gospel until be promises to abstain
from the use of tobacco. But tell us
pray, George, what are old men like
Brother McWhorter, who loves his pipe
and the writer who loves his
nnd the writer who enjoys his chew,
to do.
Who, that comes in contact with the
Free Press, does not rush over to the
editorial page? It is one of the bright
est, tlie cleanest, the sanest, tlie most
consistent editorial pages in the state.
But to hasten we must hit the ground
only in the high places. It would tax
the patience of his assemblage to
dwell at length on all the eduitors, for
there are thirty of them in the ninth
district. The Banks County Journal
is edited by Jack Hilton, is both
unique and original. He has traveled,
has wide experience for one of liis age,
has been in all the large cities of the
states but had rather live in Homer
THE WINDER NEWB
than any place on the face of the earth.
Just why, we will let Jack tell the sto
ry.
Mr. F. D. Singleton edits the Tri-
County Advertiser, which is publish
ed at Clarkesville. He enjoys a pat
ronage unequalled by any other paper
in the district, in that his is the coun
ty organ for that county—Habersham,
and two adjoining counties. Formerly
be was editor of the Clayton Tribune
but when he bought the Clarkesville
Advertiser, he discontinued the publi
cation of the Tribune. He is one of
the outspoken editors of the district.
He speaks his mind freely on all ques
tions that pertain to the public good.
He is an open foe to the manufacture,
sale oc use in any form of any sort of
intoxicants. In this particular he is
in a missionary territory with abundant
opportunity to sow much needed seed
he is sowing them broadcast, even if
they fall on stony ground. His little
12-year-old daughter in the youngest
lino operator in the dist. Young as she
is, she sets all the type for her father’s
paper. In recognition of this service
and honor, she deserves special recog
nition in our organization.
J. P. Itudisill edits the Advance at
Canton. We have not been favored
with, an ;intimate acquaintance but
from references in the Free Press we
liave formed the opinion that he pos
sesses quantities of money and wears
lots of fine clothes.
Mrs. B. H. Howard, editor of the Ad
vertiser at Dawsonville, enjoys the dis
tinction of being the only lady in the
district who presides over the destinies
of a paper. We would assure her that
her brethren of the press sympathize
with her sincerely, in the recent mis
fortunes she has sustained.
We are not well posted as to who
bolds the destinies in his hands of the
Post, published at Blue Ridge. Later
we hope to be sufficiently pasted to re
port the details of the Post.
We hope to meet Brother J. E. Kirby
of the North Georgian, published at
Cummings here today. It must be a
mighty good paper for it has an at
tractive name, and one that we all love.
Many of the editors of the district
have, until now, been denied the person
al acquaintance of Brother McWhorter,
our president. He is no novice in the
newspaper business. Some years ago
he was C. S. C. of Oconee county. While
there he owned and edited the Oconee
Enterprise. He sold the Enterprise
and bought a paper at Yidalia. He
put it on its feet, sold it for a good pro
fit and bought the Winder News. Not
satisfied with that he then bought the
Barrow r County Times, another paper
1899 1921
a
Our futuve hopes are built largely on growth. When
we plant corn, wheat or any other grain, it is with the
belief that we will receive an increase in yield. Take
for instance: Our babies look very sweet now and very
often we hear their mothers say they wish their children
could always remain sweet, little babies, but they real
ly do not mean this. The mother’s hopes are built on
the baby's future growth.
Saving and making money is based on the same prin
cipal. A person having SIOO.OO today expects or should
expect it to be worth more by January Ist, 1921.
By placing your money in our Savings Department,
you start this growth and have the consolation that
your funds are safe. All of our employees are under a
$2500.00 bond, coupled with Burglary Insurance, a •
half million resources, with 22 years successful opera
tion and growth.
To those who have gold, we will place same where it
is absolutely safe and pay back in gold any day you
should desire, and you will secure 4 per cent on January
Ist. >
Why not start your Savings Account at once and get
the growth and security your money should secure for
you.
Yours to Serve,
Winder National Bank
1899 1921
published in Winder, so that he now
has control of that entire territory. He
was also at one time connected with the
Summerville News.
J. B. Patterson edits tlie News at
Forsyth. D. M. Byrd is editor of the
Lawrenceville News-Herald, while C.
M. Moreoek presides over the Journal
of the same place. Jack Majors pub
lishes ihe Advertiser at Buford. Mr.
Chas. Temple is edR >r of the Enter
prise published at < irneiia. Guy Clop
ton writ. < :: v e litorials for the Gaines
ville Herald assisted py Harve Craig
H. M. Edge is responsible for the edi
torial page of the Progress published
at Jasper. John A. Reynolds issues
the Tribune, published at Clayton. E.
H. Graves is the veteran editor of the
Toccoa Record, and is easily one of the
best newspapr men and has one of the
best equipped plants in the district.
Claud Edge handles the editorial page
of the Courier, published at Ellijay. We
have been unable to obtain the name of
the gentleman who edits the Northeast
Georgian, published at Blairsville. Mr.
G. E. Hill is editor in chief of the Mays
ville Enterprise. He has a life long
experience in the business and is pos
sibly the best printer in the district.
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Mr. J. P. Davison, who is secretary of
this association, is editor of the Cour
ier, published at Cleveland, and his ed
torial page is a bright one. The Chris
tian Freeman, published at Winder, ed
ited by T. C. Buchanan, is the only re-|
ligious paper published in the district.
Mr. T. H. Robertson publishes and edits
the Odd Fellow at Gainesville, making
four papers for that city. The Booster,
the baby paper of the district, edited
by H. F. Braselton, is an asset highly
valued by the local community
Some of the editors of the district
have been signally honored, Mr. A. S.
Hardy, of the News, holds the responsi
ble position as postmaster at Gaines
ville. George D. Rucker holds a sim
jar position at his home town. Brother
Harber of the Commerce Observer was
honored by the Georgia Press Associa
tion by electing him as president of the
Association. Mr. Holder, of the Jack
son Herald, represented his county and
district in the general assembly for a
period of twenty years. During that
time he served as speaker of the
(Continued on page 6)