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W. F. SMITH, Publisher, VOLUME VIII. NEWS GLEANINGS. Geneva, Ala., has four bar rooms and is without a church. Last year North Carolina spent $337,- 000 for education. Some $273,000 worth of liens have been filed in Spartanburg county, S. C. The Sewanee coal mines, in Grundy county, Tenn., have been sold for $525,- 000. The net earnings of the South Carolina railroad so far in 1881, exceed those of 1880 by $50,000. Mississippi is premised ala rger crop than she has ever had. North Carolina has 1,759 bar-keepers and 1,275 preachers. Two thousand men annually fall into drunkards’ graves in North Carolina. The fire in the ovens at the Selma gas works has been constantly burning since 1855. Of 125 newspapers in North Carol ina only five oppose the prohibition move ment. Florida will raise eight million water melons this year. The wine crop of Georgia last year was 903,244 gallons, worth $1,325,521.63. Virginia mockingbirds are getting scarcer every year, as the sportsmen kill them wantonly. Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia produced in 1880 no less than 335,950,- 765 pounds ef tobacco. A large force is at work on the Nat ural Bridge, Virginia, improving the grounds and enlarging the hotel. Larger than the State of Rhode Island, yet Baldwin county, Ala., with a population of 9,000, has not a resident lawyer and but one physician. The Willimantic Spool-cotton Com pany will bring seventy five to one hundred girls to the Atlanta Cotton Exposition. The new mineral spring is attracting considerable attention at Athens. All who have drank o f the water pronounce it excellent—much better than the old one. It is bold and cold. The old sea wall, erected at St. Au gustine in 1835, to protect that city against inundation, is fast yielding to the dashing waves, and, unless soon repaired, may be swept away at any time by a gale. 1 he whole stock of the Charleston, S. 0., manufacturing company, being half a million dollars, has already been sub scribed, and the books are closed. In t wo years New Orleans has realized over one million dollars from the sale of stieet railroad franchises, and the money is being used to extinguish the city debt. PIXIE FUN. Worms make a fine fish dinner, you bait. The next comet that comes should have an owner. Reversible cuffs—Boxing one ear and turning the other also. Ihis is rather warm work, as the thermometer remarked t? the comet. If a man has a shot gun, he is wast ing time trying to kill two birds with oue stone. The stage robbers out West seem to have given up their attempt to ferret out the authorities. ulgar peogle who become rich like to go to Europe and stay where they can forget themselves. A Texas paper says: “Ihere will soon be another paper in town to divide our poverty with.” A ten pouud lump of ice is smaller now than at any other season of the year. It is just big enough to run away if left on the sidewalk. In North Caroline it is feared the lo custs will not be able to harvest the crop, it is so large. Tho attention ot Mr. Bergh has been called to the out rage. An Aistin doctor met old Uncle Mose on Austin avenue, and said pleasantly: ‘‘How do you feel to day, Uncle Mose‘?” ! “I ain’t gwine tor tell ver until I knows how much you am going to charge me.” An Austin boy came home from school uery much excited, aud told his father that he believed all human beings were descended from apes, which made the old man so mad that he replied angrily: “That may be the case with you, but it ain’t with me; l can tell you that, uow.” ftevotfd to Industrial Inter-st. tho Diffusion of Truth, the Establishment of Justife, and the Preservation of a People’s tioTornment. OCR COUNTRY EXCHANGES. [Address read by President H. G. Bas kette, before the Tennessee Press Associa tion at Chattanooga, June 18, 1881.] The mute inglorious journalists, who lack only the opportunity of startling the world, appear to be numberless. In every community there are scores of people who, having no conception of the scope and aim of journalism, and hav ing no proper notion of the duties, re sponsibilities and labors of the journal ist, seem profoundly impressed with the belief that they could step at once into the editorial harness and conduct a news paper with notable ability and success. Certainly there are not a few in every town, city and country who, however modest they may be in estimating their own abilities, are ready to tell you ex actly how a paper should be managed. Indeed, it is often the case that men whose self-conceit and assurance are only exceeded by their ignorance, are instant and active in obtruding their crude and unwelcome suggestions upon the attention of the painstaking editor who is endeavoring to supply the de mands of the news-mongers and eater to the intellectual wants of t ie community. The opinion seems to prevail among a certain class, that all that is necessary for the making of a newspaper is a print ing press and suitable material, a suf ficient number of intelligent compose tors, and for an editor—any man who can handle a pair of scissors and write a passable paragraph. Too many forget, or do not know r , that in the profession of journalism, as in other professions, a special talent and a special preparation are required. It is generally conceded, that, to become a lawyer of worth, one must not only possess certain mental endowments, but must also understand the principles and be familiar, to a de gree, with the myriad precedents of the law. It is agreed that to be a physician, able to heal diseases, and to invest death with a scientific interest, one must by diligent study acquire a knowledge of the several sciences which make up the science of medicine, to which knowledge must be added the wisdom gained by the intelligent application of these principles in the practice of the healing art. It is generally admitted that the clergyman, whose methods and labors, like those of the editor, are con stantly subjected to captious and carp ing Criticisms, is, if he be worthy of his high office, better prepared than the majority of his critics to address him self to the difficulties of his position and deal with the many ponderous and undeinonstrable theorems of his theolo gy. Yet, strangely enough, it is hard to convince some people that the com petent journalist knows more About his own business than the average reader of a newspaper. They cannot understand that the editor must not only have a peculiar talent and aptitude for his work, but he must also undergo a spec ial training if not in a college of jour nalism, in the dearer and harder and better school of experience. There may be rare geniuses that have stepped into journalistic distinction without having served a severe apprenticeship, but it must be borne in mind that many a brilliant editorial writer is simply a writer, and not properly an editor, and is only a journalist in so far as he writes for a journal. There be men who well deserved reputation as writers upon leading metropolitan dailies, who it given charge of a country newspaper would, in all probability, make an utter and inglorious failure. It must be noted, however, and emphasized, that many of the ablest and brilliantest journalists of our day have been first educated in the school of country journalism. Upon the other hand, it is also true that many a capable and promising country editor has been hidden out of sight under the veil of impersonality, and lost to the world, and forgot, by being merged into the editorial corps of the city daily. I am prepared to assert that the man who ably and properly conducts a coun try newspaper, keeping it at its truest and highest standard of excellency, must possess a rarer combination and versa tility of talents, and have a more varied fund of resources at his command, than is required in any other position he may hold in the field of journalism. The country weekly should be in every whit the equal of the best city paper, so far as the quality of the work is concerned. I can admit of no lower standard. In this competition the daily paper has a decided advantage. By a well regulated and necessary system of division and sub-division of labor each separate de- partment of a daily paper is entrusted to special workers, who have been se lected with regard to their peculiar fit ness and qualification for the work assigned, and who are responsible only within their particular spheres. The country journal, with all of its depart ments, is generally in charge of one editor; who must perform a distracting variety of work, which does not often admit of well sustained efforts in any given direction. We often find a man who is proprietor, editor, reporter, busi- ness manager, solicitor and compositor, it is not unfreqnently the case that to this manifold function are added the offices of printer’s devil and office boy. Indeed, instances might be cited, w here, in addition to this curious conglomerate, the able editor constitutes a large part of his own subscription list. ~ Many couutry editors, in order to keep the wolf from the door, are compelled to engage in other employments, which take much of their time and attention from their journals. These facts may serVe to explain in a measure why a greater number of weekly newspapers do not attain to a high standard. Any one familiar with newspaper work can readily appreciate the difficulties to which I have barely alluded. If any embryo journalist is inclined to be skeptical he can have his doubts effect ually removed by a trial. Let him undertake some day to indite a few thoughtful articles on grave and im portant subjects, turn a number of pungent paragraphs, pencil off a column of local news items, condense another column 3f telegraphic news, boil down several badly written and fearfully constructed contributions from rural correspondents, write a sty ish marriage notice, and tearful obituary of a prom inent citizen, furnish a rejxxrt of court proceedings, and a detailed account of commencement exercises, make a person al mention of distinguished arrivals, cor rect market quotations, dash ofl a lot of notices of new advertisements, answer the numerous vexatious calls made upon him, entertain esteemed subscribers who come to complain or congratulate, read his letters and papers, keep his eye on the exchange fiend, and be in and out of office, anywhere and everywhere at the same moment of time; let our skeptical friend attempt this, and if at the close of the day he is not conscious of a heavy drain upon his nervous energies, he may consider himself engaged. He is wanted. Even when relieved of the business management of the paper, the time of the editor can be fully occupied, if he be painstaking and thorough. Of course I refer to journals that aie edited. The editorial work on some weekly exchanges could be done in an hour. When a paper has several editors, the labor is divided, and we have a right to expect better results, although w?e do not alw'avS find them. We are all disposed at times to slight work, especially when we see that our best efforts are not properly appreciated. It is easy to get into a careless habit, and in no department of activity is carelessness more sensibly felt. Idleness in a newspaper office is absolutely inexcusable. Incapacity is even more tolerable. Either or both will make a newspaper of no account. As in other professions, there are many incompetent men in ours. There are lawyers who aspire to be ornaments to the bar, who would better adorn a hoe handle. There are doctors who would make better pile drivers than pill driv ers. Many a preacher has mistaken a call to the cotton-field or the brick-yard for a call to the ministry. So it is that there are men connected with the ore s who w r ould better fill their mission in life if they were pegging shoes, measur ing tape, or engaged in some other equally honorable employment which makes fewer demands upon the brain. The proportion of really iincompetent journalists, however, is not as great as many suppose, and in Tennessee it may be said with pride and pleasure that there is a wealth of journalistic talent, and that there are very many excellent journals that would do honor to any State or any country. No pleasanter duty devolves upon the editor than that of looking through his exchanges. Of course the daily papers with their well filled columns of telegraphic news, and their generally well considered editorial comments upon current eveuts, stand •first in his estimation. These are abso lutely indispensable. Through them the country editor keeps himself in formed of what is going on in the world, and it is the first duty of the journalist to keep informed. Vet his country ex changes are no less acceptable and nec essary. Aside from the information he gleans from them and the practical in formation they afford him, he enjoys a peculiar personal satisfaction in receiv ing these weekly visits from his esteemed rural contemporaries. As they are laid on his table, anew interest is given to his labors, and the monotony of the sanctum is broken for a time. They are familiar and constant visitors and he can name each one of them at a glance be fore the wrappers are removed. Of course he ha* his favorites. These he opens with pleasurable anticipations that are rarely disappointed. Others he glances over more hastily, and a few, it must be confessed, he sometimes allows to remain unopened. It would be difficult to properly clas sify and discuss our country exchanges within the limits of this paper. I can therefore only refer briefly to a few characteristics which attract my atten tion at a casual glance, one or more of which may apply in a greater or less degree to this or that contemporary. Here, for instance, is a valued ex change whose able editor exalts and mag nifies his editorial page, almost to the exclusion of other matters. His pon derous leaders stretch from column to column, dreary lengths of logic, cheer less deserts of dialectics. He grapples with great problems, wrestles with mighty mysteries. He goes deep into the phylosophv of things, and settles questions for all time to come. The slightest political movement draws from his penan exhaustive dissertation upon the policies of parties. He even writes his editorials as serials, “to be continued in our next.” They are well written and contain a world of information. What a pity that they are not read! Here is a journal which furnishes us an illustration of the other extreme. The editor is a paragrapher. He long articles. If he were to write a history of the latewar, he would put it iu a ten or twemy-line paragraph. He changes his subject as often as a dic tionary. It matters not what the topic may be. it is never too momentous nor too* trivial for him. Indeed the raison d'etre of some of his paragraph* is some times too obscure for any fellow to find out. He is generally ‘ sparkling and INDIAN SPRINGS, GEORGIA. witty, and makes capital hits; only occasionally you find yourself dropping a tear over one of his choice bits of humor. Then fliers is the journal wi.th a hob by. Probably the hobby is the State debt question. For the past ten years its editor lias scarcely missed an issue in presenting his views on this novel and captivating subject. He has discussed it in every possible phase, week in and week out, but lie has presented the same idea every time. He might 8 iVe himself sou\e labor if lie would clip out his last year's editorials aud republish them in the regular order. He never gets tired of the subject. It has an indescribable and irresistible charm for him. When hejputs bis pen to paper he may fall asleep in his easy chair, ami the dutiful pen, out of sheer Luce of habit, will splutter off like Planchette and write an article on the State debt question. Men may come and men may go, but his con stantly recurring platitudes will g > on for 99 years, or until he pays the debt of nature and gets bold of anew idea in another world. Here is our pessimistic friend. Every thing goes wrong in the w'orld, and lie takes infinite pains to let the world know that he is not pleased. 11 is mission is to reconstruct things, and as he meets with limited success, he grumbles at fate, ami makes awful predictions of impending ruin. Strangely enough, however, the sun continues to shine, the stars look down as calmly as evert the seasons come and go, and the oo stiiute world persists in wragsong on. Huveral of my esteemed contempora- ries have an easy way of writing edi torials. They w r rite with the scissors, which they esteem as mightier than the pen. They give their readers the opin ions of other men and none of their owot. This may be a judicious plan, but it would be interesting to have an occa sional opinion from them. It is pleas ant j * note, however, that they generally give the proper credit. I take up from my table a trimmer for there are trimmers among news papers as there are among politicians. The editor of this paper never expresse; an opinion until he is satisfied that is will be popular. When a question of public importance is presented he touch os it in a cautious, evasive w\ay, if he speak of it at all, until he finds out what the community w ill think of it. If a majority regard a proposition fa vo ably, he becomes eloquent in itssup- the indications are clear that a majority condemn it or consider it with disfavor lie comes down on it like a thousand bricks. What the people want he wants, what the popular mind re jects he rejects without hesitation. He goes with the tide and is the only true, genuine, unadulterated and disinterested friend of the party. Patent applied for. Here is a familiar old friend. It is an organ, a party organ. It goes for the party right or wrong. It lives for and on the party; it would probably die for the party. Whatever the party does is right. Everything in the party is sym metrical and beautiful. The party can didates are gentlemen of extraordinary ability, and of unexampled integrity of character. The opposing candidates are wily demagogues, idiotic numskulls, or designing conspirators, whose sole aim iu politics is to undermine the republic, ruin and impoverish the country and wantonly destroy the happiness of the people. It never publishes an extract from an opposing journal, nor any news item that in any possible way could re flect credit upon the opposing party. It furnishes its readers with entirely ortho dox matter, which praises its own party leaders and glorifies the party methods. Whatever the party managers dictate the party organ proclaims and supports. [ must say that whatever may be its merits, and the organ is often very ably conducted, 1 do not admire its methods. If a country paper must bean organ, it should be the organ of its editor. Be there never so earnest an advocate of party principles, he should have inde- pendence enough to condemn when cen sure is needed, and be liberal and char itable enough to commend what is worthy of commendation, even though it be found in the conduct and purposes of the opposition. The power and in fluence of a newspaper depend upon the power and adaptability of the intellect which controls it, and to carefully and conscientiously weigh the grave ques tions which affect the public interests, and then to impress liis own convictions upon the public mind, directing, mould ing and unifying the public thought, constitute the highest duty and prero gative of the journalist. Of course, in this work there should be no exclusion of the views of others. He should in vite criticism, encourage the pioper presentation of contrary view?, and make liis paper the free medium for the communication of ideas, and the intel ligent discussion of matters of general interest. By this comparison of views his own opinions, if they be valuable, are more forcibly impressed upon *he public mind, and his influence and usefulness as a journalist are enhanced. The journals upon mv exchange list which are avowedly independent of par ties can be counted on one or two fingers. While I think the idea of absolute in dependence is essentially Utopian, there is a degree of independence to be reached which may lie very exasperating to the oreat. The true ide iof independence is to 0e free to cbo >se between parties, for so long as political parties* exist there must be journals to uphold and maintain party principles. The inde pendent journal, if it deal with public questions at all, tmht make a choice*, even though il W a choice between evils. When the choice is made, for the time at least, the quality of its independence is decidedly strained. An armed and bristling neutrality falls short of my idea of independent journalism. in a large majority of country papers the local’department is made the leaning feature. This is as it should be. The country weekly is essentially a local paper. R should give especial attention to home affairs, encourage in every legit imate way the development of home resources, foster home enterprises, and furnish all information of a local char acter that may be of interest to its read ers. How w r eli this function of the paper is utilized is evidenced by the many sprightly, newsy exchanges* that come omy table. But this can be carried to extremes, and local journalism presents some curious eccentricities. One editor will devote almost his exclusive atten tion to local paragraphs. He has a cer tain amount of space which must be filled up witli strictly local news, wdiether there is any news or not. No matter how insignificant an occurrence may be, it is sufficient to point a para graph. He pounces on the trivialest happenings like a duck upon a june bug. A runaway horse elicits a feeling of grateful appreciation. A dog tight is a bonanza, If an esteemed citizen fall and break his neck the grief of the enterprising editor, though profound and heartfelt, does not exclude a bland satisfaction as he rounds oft* a graphic and sympathetic description of the occurrence. Business .is business, you know. If he hasn’t anything to tell, he tells it anyhow, if the times are distressingly dull and things move on so lazily or so harmoniously that nothing will happen to break the monotony, he rises equal to the occasion. He manu factures news something after the man ner of making cannon as described by the Irishman. Said the Irishman, ‘‘They take a hole and pour molted iron around it.” So, this editor takes any airy nothing and gives it a living, aggressive substantiality—a local habitation and a name. He is sometimes not averse to making a statement which is in the highest degree improbable. A correction w ill afford him a paragraph for his next issue. He cares little for the outside w'orld. The historic Isle of Scio may be convulsed by an earthquake and tlious ands of ill-fatal inhabitants buried under the ruins of their homes, but a notice of the occurrence is crowded out to give place to report of a street squab ble. A revolution might shake Europe to its centre, but it will receive less attention than farmer Jones’ three legged chicken. Another contemporary has a penchant for personals. He publishes every ar rival and departure, and then to be im partial mentions everybody else, for the, use of whose name be can frame the slightest excuse. If you salute him on the street you get your name in the paper. One might have reason to sus pect that the name of “Col. Blankety Blank, our popular and much esteemed townsman,” and ‘‘the beautiful and ac complished Miss So and So” are stereo typed and thrown into the forms where ever there is a lack of other matter. It cannot be denied that the majority of people like to see their names in the paper. They may deny the soft im peachment or even express a disgust at such publicity, but in 99 cases out of 100 such denial is sheer affectation. When, how'ever, personal mention be comes so cheap that anybody and every body gets a benefit, they certainly should, if they do not, be greatly lowered in the public estimation. The* personal column is a legitimate and useful feature of a newspaper, but w r e must all admit that it is unconscionably abused. Some country journals depend almost entirely upon their rural correspondents for local news, and they get it with a vengeance. Time will not permit me to do the average rural correspondent jus tice. He is unique in his methods, in defatigable in bis labors, terrible in his importunity. He only needs encourage ment to be always on hand. I pass him by, for he deserves to lie made the special subject of a paper. There is a class of papers which are in one respect identical. I refer to the “patent outside” or “inside,” as the case may be. I am not going to inveigh against these paphrs. Some of them are among my best exchanges. I have this to say, however: I think the system a had one. I think its tendency is not to elevate journalism. The demand £>r patent outsides is based upon a wrong idea. I bad infinitely rather edit a five col umn paper than to edit half of a ten column paper. It is a mistake to sup {K>se that a large paper is essential to marked success. Some of the very best papers 1 get are small papers. A few of them are model country newspapers, and each one contains more good and well digested matter than two or three of other journals I might name that me twice as large. If I were called upon to start anew paper in a town, u|*>n limit ed means, I would print all of my paper at home, even though it were small, no matter what the competition might be. I would endeavor to the best of my poor ability to pit quality against quantity, knowing that if I fell in the struggle it would only be because I could not fur nish the quality of work that is essential to well deserved success, and not Id ealise quality will not win in the long run. fcknue journals, aud excellent journals, too, have a strange and altogether Un necessary practice of sandwiching read ing advertisement? with their local news itmns, and even in some instances with thffir editorial paragraphs. What can be gained by this lam unable to see It SUBSGRIPTION"-sf.so. NUMBER 49. is only demanded by advertisers when they have been taught to expect it. It certainly disfigures a paper, and compels the reader to fish industriously for his local news. I don’t think it is best for the advertisers, it certainly is not for the readers. The reader should be afford ed every facility for getting at the mat ter he wants to read. The classification of matter is the best and only means to this end. I like lo read advertisements. They are very interesting and profitable reading. But when I want to read new r s I don’t like to be beguiled into reading about Mr. Smith’s ribbons, or the re duced price of Mr. Jones’ cabbage seed. Tn this connection let me mention a class of advertisements that have became common, and which are nuisances. I refer to the reading notices of patent medicines, etc., which must, in accord ance with the contract, be made to fol low' regular reading matter. Many of these notices have attractive heads, which delude you into the belief that they are readable news items. You think you are reading a choice para graph, only to find at the close that Dr. Somebody’s cure-all is just the tiling for the itch. You naturally feel that it is an imposition, and that you have been treated badly. When 1 buy any patent medicine f will buy from the man who odvertises in the regular way. The man who tricks me into reading his notice shall not have a chance to trick me with his medicine. Of course Ido not mean to imply that every one who adopts this style of advertising is a trickster; far from it. I only say that f condemn the method, and 1 don’t care how soon the public rebel against it. In this rambling, hastily prepared pa per 1 have dealt chiefly with the editor, aud haw not referred at length to the business man of the paper, a most im portant personage, upon whom the suc cess of the paper largely depends. Whether he be editor or not, his work demands a thorough practical knowledge and skill. The best edited paper will be of little value without typographical neatness. Many ail editor has seen his w T ork waste! on a badly printed paper. Without skillful management, which brings the money, the ed i tor’s occupation is gone. in throwing out these observations I trust I may not be misunderstood. If T have indulged in some criticisms and pleasant exaggerations of wlia; maybe regarded as some of the faults and foibles of journalists, it is not because lain silly enough to affect any superior knowledge or ability, nor that I desire to assume the office of censor. Indeed if it not im probable that 1 have hoist myself wuth some of my own petards. I ow r e to*> much to my contemporaries, and am too sincere an admirer of their excellencies to be guilty of any such folly. Ever since 1 entered the profession of journal ism 1 have been an earnest and faithful student, though perhaps a slow learner, and the best teachers I have had and those most valued and esteemed have been my bright faced, ever welcome country exchanges. Timber Planting. To make timber plentiful and to render our climate more genial we must reclotlie all rugged, broken land and rocky crests, in fact, every acre that is not cultivated or is cultivated at a loss, with valuable forest trees. First—All ravines and steep hill-sides, all land too rocky to be thoroughly cleared of stone arid plowed, should be devoted to trees. Second—Protecting belts of timber should be planted wherever buildings, orchards, gardens, etc., are exposed to cold, sweeping winds. Third—The banks of streams, ponds, open ditches, etc., should be so planted with trees that they will be protected from abrasion by floods and rapid cur rents. Fourth—All public roads should be belted by graceful, stately trees. We should preserve, improve and extend our existing- forests by keepiug up a constant succession of young grow ing trees of the best varieties. To do this it is necessary: First—To allow no stock to run in wood lots for the purpose of forage. This should be a rule inflexible and relent ness. Second Young growth in forests should be thinned moderately and judi ciously. Worthless varieties should be cut out aud the valuable sorts should be trimmed up so that they will grow tall, forming trunk rather than brauehes. Third— Timber should be cut with intelligent reference to future growth. Valuable trees that you wish to propa gate should be cut in the spring. Those that you wish to exterminate should be cut in August. —Professor Lazenby. Cornell University. A Paris Fancy. A peasant ball is oue of the fancies ot fashionable Paris. No expense is spared to give it the proper rustic coloring. All the elegant Parisian furniture is cleared away to give place to deal benches, tliree-legged stools, aud the like; the w alls are hung with evergreen garlands and streamers, and in the center the hostess, in all her village bravery, stands receiving her guests, supported by a knot of country officials—the Mayor and Municipal Council. Every thing is iu keeping; even the beer and cider which hide the champagne on the rustic refreshment stall, aud the accessories of the inevitable cotillion. Alter the dance there is a supper, at which distinguished poets, artists, dramatists, and civilians are gathered together, and make brief and funny speeches. The health of the hostess is duly proposed, and she returns thanks m the traditional style.