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The East Huron Gazette, 1893-03-23, Page 5ODS in ed Coatings and male prices. We -abouts, etc. tch. t stock of Goods 3 bonnet shapes, arly and secure pie pew2d eu !IMEMINISMOISIS! evattememierseeensosientilieeneetelereett • PIONEER JOURNALISM. MR. ERASTUS JACKSON'S ABLE PAPER THEREANENT. A Reminiscent Treat Given to the Mem reduction in ptetage followed to sub- ! scribers making regular quarterly pay- raente,—but ethis was unsatisfaztory, and an undercurrent of sentiment --Dre' hailed that the people paid more money into local post offices than fOund its way into the Postraaster-eears 'depart- . ment, and another change follwed. , bars of the Canadian Press Association..., Vivid Sketch of Papers, Paper Men and Their Methods in the Early Days, In preparing this paper on 'Pion neer Journalism," I have been exer cised somewhat to understand just the line Of thought desired by the Execu tive Committee, or what would prove acceptable and edifying to the associa tion. The more I considered, the • stronger grew the impression that some thing comparative respecting the labors and methods of half a century ago and to-day—including, in this connection, a little personal experience, would meet the purpose desired, and perhaps afford thought for reflection not altogether un- profitable. The journalist of to -day, with all the varied advantages and facilities which the genius and progressive development of the age places at his command, can form but a very inadequate conception of what journalism meant fifty or sixty years ago—of the round of duties the journalist was called upon to discharg, or the functions he was expected to exercise in the community. My own recollections date back to the forties, about the time the Globe was first issued by the late Geo. Brown—when the old Examiner published by Mr. Leslie, was a power in this province, having such men as the late Sir Francis Hincks, and other vigorous thinkers contributing to its editorial columns—when the old Colonist under the direction of Mr. Scobie, was in the zenith of its greatness —when, a few years later, Hon. Mr. Mac- dougall entered the journalistic field with the North American, and having on his staff writers such as the late Mr: Ure, whom the old Parliament of Canada cited to the bar of the House on a mat- ter of privilege—when Mr. Lyon Mac- kenzie talked loud and strong to men in high positions, demanding constitutional changes through his Message, and when the Patroit and Catholic Citizen were organs of the Orange and Green. These were the leading political jo-arnals in Toronto in those days. Later on the Leader, with Mr. Lindsey as editor, made its appearance; and after a time the Colonist and Patriot become in- corporated with it; and the Examiner and North American amalgamated with the Globe. Most of these journals down to 1850 and 1852, were printed on Washington hand presses, and enjoyed a circulation almost equal to the extent of their ability to supply. The men conducting the editorial departments were giants in intellectual greatness. Important public questions divided political parties, and these talleIng to the country presented weighty argue iments for thinking people to consider. As a result one or more of the journals just named, found a place in the homes of the educated and moderately wealthy everywhere, and a fair raeasme of suc- cess, financially, accrued to publishers. But the country editor, conducting what is familiarly termed, the "rural press" did not fare quite so suraptuouS- ly. He had to unite in his own person the editor, the printer, the reporter, the pressman, • and sometimes (failing the possession of a genial and considerate partner of domes- tic joys and sorrows as an assistant, to perform the task of inking the form, he had to be both pressman and printer's devil Iiewas no bonanza to be a pub- lisher undercircurastances of this char- acter. Those of .you who have become identified with journalism within the last decade or two, go back with me to the days when, instead of receiving daily cablegrams from over the sea, furnish- ing the latest political, commercial and social events in the busy centres of the old world, we had to be content with the mails brought over in fortnightly steam -packets, bringine correspondence and papers 3 weeks old', from which to collate foreign news—when we had no telegraph as a means of communication in the country—before the genius of a later period chained the lightning's power to obey an editor's behest and lessen his weary toil—before Edison's masterful mind conceived the marvel- ous method of inter -communication with the telephone service, and thereby en- abling the news -gatherer of to -day to be almost ubiquitous—before lightning ex press trains superceded the old mail coach in carrying daily papers from oar cities in time for perusal by country journalists immediately after partaking his morning meal, then compare the situation with the opportunities, facil- ities and appliances which modern in- ventions, mechanical genius, and the de- velopment of science, now places at a publisher's command, and you will be able to forra some conception of what pioneer journalism meant even within the limited period of the past half century. At the time of whi*. I now speak, country journals were not so itunerous, opportunities to scissor copy from contemporaries of neighboring towns,without giving credittaas to source, were not then enjoyed, patent insides and outsides were unknown in news- paperdom, and boiler -plate had yet to he introduced to the publishing world; and of those that were published, I am free to admit, very few were conducted with the spirit and vim of many coun- try jownals of to -day. •But at that early time it was difficult to secure local corespondents. Now, with the ad- vantages our school system has given, almost every concession line can furnish as Inan_y scribes as the editor desires, svhca take delight in preparing a weekly laudget of local gossip and happenings of the neighborhood—tell of the little stranger just arrived at 'Squire Jenkins being a farm hand, or an assistant to the Fonts:We lady of the Squire in her household duties, and such other ici- ents as are of special interest to country readers. In this regard the methodaa $1014acting a local journal as compired witlithe past, presents a revolution,— and the editor's persona/ duties and )abors are very much lessened. The pioneer journalist had adother prime drawback in being handicapped thematter of Postage. The ordinary half ounce letter was taxed nine -pence • (ikts.)for the cairiage of NO miles—then ed.:4*n to four pence according distatio&t_ but now rrearked Nees cor- Mice is carried the length and, fif the laud for a pent- only.2 By way of making sure of collections the government transferred the import from the subscriber to the publisher. This was a serious matter to the latter. The credit system prevailed to a large extent in ordinary business and mercan tile life, and the publisher had to follow this custom; bnt under the then e * t" postal regulation he was placed at ag double disadvantage. In case a sub- scriber proved delinquent or moved • away from a locality without intimating his changed address, a month or twit after such removal the post -master would return a back number marked, "un- called for," or "removed,' in which case the publisher was not only 'out" the amount the delinquent owed, but also the postage for conveying the paper to his address. Of course this led to further ag- itation, and finally the regulation was changed to free postage, a change large- ly brought about through leading Jour. nalists whose names stand connected with the early history of the Canadian Press Association. They presented, for the consideration of the government, the fact that the press was a public educe - or, doing a work that no other agency • then existing could do, and alsO that through the press much gratuitous in- formation respecting legislation and other matters along that line, of advan- tage to the whole country and important that the masses should be cognizant of, was being disseminated, and in this way the press was giving a quid pro quo for all the loss the country would sustain by the removal of this burden. The boon was finally granted, but all the same, while the tax was continued it militated against extended circulation in country parts, for a newspaper in those days was regarded more as a lux- ury than a necessity, by the middle classes. Hence, newspaper readers were limited as compared to the whole population. A dozen- or so, perhaps, at each local post office was about the extent, and the papers sent to these did duty for the entire neighborhood. Happily for the journalist of to -day the newspaper bor- ower who .entertained no scruples of conscience in thus filching from the printer his hard-earned patrimony, has now become almost extinct in the dawn of a brighter intelligence. As an outcome of our noble school system, founded about the period of which I am speaking, by that indefatigable friend of education. Dr. Ryerson, a taste for reading was created, a thirst for know- ledge developed, a desire to know what was transpiring in the wide world around was manifested; this desire the newspaper of to -day gratifies, so that now the family without its chosen journal is the exception rather than the rule. But from the very fact that the patrons of a journal were trusted, the sphere of the pioneer journalist was circumscrib- ed. Those who took an active interest in the political questions of the day, com- prised the majority of his readers. The editor, therefore, had to be a partizan politieian first, local news was con- sidered a secondary matter. Important issues then dividing political parties; served to draw strong and sharp the lines of divergence. Prejudices created by the outbreak of '37, still exercised potent influences at each recurring general election, and in dealing with such issues as the Secularization of the Reserves in Upper Canada, the abolition of Senorial- sal Tenures in Lower Canada, Separate Schools, etc., editors sometimes took off their coats and rolled up their sleeves. These issues formed staple texts for lengthiless and hitter homilies. To meet the spirit of the times and ensure the sup- por of the then partizan reading com- munity, the editor felt it a duty to discuss these issues exhaustively. Sometimes . columns were written presenting argu- ments upon a given question, or in reasoning from cause to effect that the journalist of to -day condenses to one quarter the space. Nothing was left to be inferred, every minutae of detail was delineated, but in the present day and age, with a more widely diffused intel- ligence, this is unnecessary. Salient points are now presented in short pithy articles, leaving the thoughtful reader to draw his own conclusions from the facts presented, or arguments offered for consideration. But while the journalist of that day was a party man first, everything he wrote bearing unmistakable evidence of his party leanings, other writers, men of letters, contributed very con- siderably to the literary departments of these journals:- thereby diffusing mach general information and quickening the intellectual activities of the age. This feature was more particularly noticeable 'however. in the city press of that day; and their patrons increased to such an extent that, as I previously observed, it was found difficult, with the ap- pliances then at command, to sup- ply the demand. Fast double cylinder • preeeesto enable the rapid issue a an edition numbering into the thousands per hour were then unknown. most of the papers of the country were printed on hand -presses, on which eight to ten tokens per diem was considered a goocl days work. Possibility of numbers was therefore, limited; but to -day many' country printing offices have a circula- tion that could scarcely be printed on a Washington hand -press on the day of publication. Then. too, our printing offices were not furnished with addres- sing machines to enable rapid despatch in mailing, genius had not developed this -important appliance; and often- times the country editor would take his turn at the press, run off a token or two, then by way of change and for a rept would busy himself folding, addressing and bundling, ready for post, the papers he had just printed, and on through his weekly editions. It was quite a eoelthele thing for the editor to labor at the com- positor's case during the day. and by way of change, toil on far into the night by theligbt of a.tallaw candle, prepar- ing matter for the next day, posting books, answering correspondents, and cogitating over some scheme.by which he cduld transform cordwood, lumber, potatoes, cabbage, turnips and other products of the farm or garden, intothe wherewith to enable him to meet the pressing demands of a financial -charac- ter, urged by bis paper -maker, who then; in the generosity and kindness of his dispoeition only charged from 10c to 12-c pertib. for .an article that , to -day they button -hole Members of the Fourth Estate on thatzfree:itt7 make for . at:pa-third wwote1 naiLiiithose 13T. --asubeitribetia. were taxed PO4-- ontleyethey ethardietta part of the paper's. s> 4:4 if 3 - - iaNittgiai tay peza,ea 05 per Amin_iri ,the -noc.tit rinter's ink, draw a long agh when.Ne 11111 was preeetited, and Walk/ faeetiouti ly enquire if the Knight of the Quilt an Scissors intended starting a bank o some other financial inatituition or de sired to purchase a full partnership i the store: but he never failed, in his contra account to charge a credit price for all the goods the editor had. pur chased while its advertisement was ran ning. These were the days when quac medicine dealers got in their fine work lialloway's or Swain's Pills and Sant' Sarsaparilla could secure a whole colum for 12 nfonths for from $20 to $25, one PIt Thterkill ihOeirea Found had its COMO; conducted by Mr. 'Vandraon, and sulasf- ..: Njiteittly ex-Presiden.t CalepbellhaaSome n connection with it There may possibly have been others that should be named, • but1!so they nave slipped my memory. 11 During the netdecade frotri 1850 to 1880 the country press doubled -fie -num. hers, arid, all along the lin the activities • of towns and villages were qUickeeed • the irepulse and iiifitence local jetirnab I imparted. The Barrie Advance was the • pioneer nape'. for Sinicee county about S 151, and in 1853 the Newmarket Era n made its appearance as the first -news. • paper in York ComitY, and which I con- quarter to be taken in goods, which th editor had to peddle qt at various prices to local druggists and grocers, or tak due -bills upon their establishments fo the amount. But there was anothe side to the pieture. • There were time when he had opportunity to play th rule of Sir Oracle, and assume nine importance. •The picnic and agri cultural fair !seasons afforde more than usual opportunities fo the Jones and Smiths to bestow patronizing attention; it was gratifyin for the time, but this was about all th editor did get for a quarter column no- tice of the gathering in advance and a column of reported proceedings after it was over. During the party, he receiv- ed special consideration, however. The best viands the fair sex had provided for the occasion was not considered too good for the printer -man, and the hearty gen- erosity of the moro elderly dames had much in it to compensate for what the editor had pleasure in repaying in ful- some but appreciative compluneats through hiapaper. I remember an in- stance, away back in the forties, when the editor of a journal, who by the way, was a clergyman in orders, was called upon to discharge other duties not us- ually performed by members of the Fourth Estate. One day, while the of- fice janitor was alternating between the composing room and sanctum in anedous quest for copy, a young and hardy son of toil from the country, with a fair -and blushing damsel accompanying him, en- tered the editor's apartments. After bidding the time of day he presented to the editor a formidable official document, • bearing an enormous seal, which in those days cost $6, but can now be procured by order of Sir Oliver Mowat's teovern- ment for $2, and bashfully inquired if the editor could there and then tie a Hymenial knot. With a bland smile, en- gendered partially by the novelty of the situation, and partially; no doubt, from the fact that it meant also something towards replenishing a not over -flowing pocket book, hereplied in the affirma- tive. The employees of the composing room, from the foreman to the character bearing the distinctive appellation of His Satanic Majesty, got an invitation to witness the ceremony. In due time the happy twain were made one accord- ing to the laws of Upper and Lower Canada, and left the office enjoying each other's smiles as happy as if the nuptials had been celebrated in spacious cathedral; but the incident was the subject of little office jokes for weeks after. The clergyman editor referred to was the late Rev. Dr. Webster, who commenced his journalistic labors in 1845 on the Canada Christian Advocate, afterwards removed to Hamilton; andt the office -Imp" aforesaid was your humble servant. Let me add, all the printers who witnessed the ceremony, in good old fashioned style, sainted the trolled from 1853 until it passed.into the hands of its present publisher about ten • years ago. It was my large privilege to ✓ be one of the jolly company comprising ✓ the first excursion under the anspices of the Canadian Press Asociation, the • route being from Toronto to Belle Ewart by rail, thence per steamer over Lake • Sientoe to Orillia and return. Many of a the men connected with the journals ✓ named have passed away; but they ate not forgotten. They left their impress g on the respective communities in which_ O they lived and toiled. Most of them were self-made men, in • soi ae instances lacking the culture and ad.vantaes which our present systena of ieducation affords, but their names will live in the Memory of the people among whom they labored long after contemporary citizens in other walks of life will have been for- gotten. They took an active part in all -that contributed to the material and so- cial well-being of their respective com- , mnnities, filling important positions of trust such as school -trustees, members of Municipal councils, directors of me- chanics' institutes, and agricultural as- ' societions etc and their names will be found enrolled in connection with vari- ous local organizations - and benevolent enterprises, having for their aim the welfare of society and the upliftingof humanity. True, they were sometimes vehement in controversy—criticised with severity, possibly, and on occasions In- dulged n personalities in place of argu- ment; but the influence of this Associa- tion, within a very few years after its • organization, softened much of the as- perity previously indulged in. The year- ly comiag1ing together at annual ga- theningsnade members of the press think better of each other—end that in- fluence is being felt to-day—a htnieful sign for the future.—Paper read by Mr. Erastus Jackson, of Newmarket, before the Canadian Press Association ciNO. E1-11OUR, FIRE AND STOOK • In.suranceAgent bride o,n the occasion, according to the custom of the times. Perhaps some of you may ask, "had the journalists of those days any news- paper cranks?" Oh! yes; plenty of them, and quite as unreasonable as they are to -day. Literary cranks, who, in ar- ticles several columns long, endeavor t d to scale, or unravel, hidden myatexaes, or storm the awful and impregnable; poetic cranks, whose effusions were a sort of jingle; without rhyme or reason, and whoseestimation of the editor went a long way below zero on account of declining their effusions. Yes, and bust- TATIEZC)2L1Vr3P`..•Ek. REPRESETS: Wellington Mutual Fire Insurance Co. • Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Perth Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Economical Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Mercantile Insurance Co. Etna Insurance Co. Give John A Call. • AARE 'YOIj ness cranks, too, who declined to adver- tize because the paper had no circulation to spea-k of, and was without influence; nobody read it, but who, if they happen- ed to get into some scrape Would bob around the editor's sanctum like a pea on a hot stove, beseeching him not to inention his foibles, as he did not want his name emblazoned all over the coun- try to his injury. Oh! yes, he would then realize that the paper had not only influence, but a circulation, and that peo- ple did reed it. There were plenty of other cranks of this description, but I shall not stop to allude to them now. A brief mention of the journals in this Province in existence previous to 1850 would, perhaps, not be out of place. I have already alluded to those in Tor- onto except denominational auspices. Kingston then had its Whig and Chron- icle, with one of which the Herald was merged; Hamilton its Spectator and another previous to the Times, but which I cannot recall; Londou its Pro- totype and Free Press; Ottawa itsCiti- zen, and I believe anetherjournal called the By -Town- Gazette—but of this. I am not certain. Then commencing with country jourealain. the east, Cor-nwall had its Freeholder; Prescott its Tele- graph; Brookville its Recorder—long conducted_by an old ex -President of this Association, Father Wylie; the Perth- Couriet looked after- Lanark County; Picton had two papers, theGazotte-aad Times: Belleville- had its Intelligeneer, then published - by. Mie -Benjenetineand afterwards byHon.. Mackenzie Bo -well; also its Chronicle, then conducted, I be- lieve, by Mr. Washbiume ; Carleton Place had its Herald; Cobourg its Star by Mr. Chattertoneaad fora brief period The Pidovincialiat, by Prof. Kingston, and athild jearnalealled-The •Coarier; by Mr. Leonetti; Port -Hope its New Telegraph; Peterboro' Review by Mr. Romaine, and Reaminer by Mr. Sawyer,: whose chief writer was a genital sea of Erin -by the name of McCurrall—a vig- orous controversialist; Streetsville had its- Review, ably edited by Rev. Mr. McGeorge; GuelPh. its Advertiser and Herald, the former conduct -ed by an old member of this association, Mr. John Smith, and the latter by Mr. G-60. father of Your Vice -President; Pandas had its Warder, with which Mr. Spence was then connected, if 1 recoiled rightly, a gentleman who afterwards occupied a prominent position in the politics of this province. He was succeeded by Mr. Jones, later of Ottawa and the latter by ex -President Somerville, now super- annuated with M.P. attached to his name; Brantford had its Courier and in 1851 the Expeditor ntedeith atipeatance ;- Petit hiatits Star; Galt its Reformer and Reporter, the. former being conducted later on thy —OW Ifon. --James' We are going to C 1111 Yr2. Co., Michigan, near Sault Ste Marie. WHY DO YOU GO TH 1RE • Well, we have five boys, we have sold the farm for $5, 000. We can buy 640 acres between Pick- ford and the Railway station at - Rudyar andhave a good farm for each of the boys and have money left. What can a renter do there? He can 1 uy a farm' en five years time, and pay for it with one-fourth of the money he would pay for rents in that time, and ovules own heraea Is it good land ? ettee-h-rati.eeettee 13 Some hustle for business others don't, But the firm that does it gets to the front. We're on the hustle to catch your spring, business, and we want to seb everybody on the jump to get their share of the value. we_ are offering in Spring • Dry Goods, Groceries, Clothing, Boots, • Shoes, [Etc. In Gents Furnishings, Suitings, Etc, WE SI-II\TM. In Dress Goods we have better value than ever. (Our Imported Goods are 15 per c. batter value than ordinary. See our Lace Curtains.) In BOOTS AND SHORS We are Rock Bottom. VOU can't go wrong w)3.en you buy fro= us, because we have just one way of do- ing business, and that is to give a dollar's worth of Good Quality for a -Dollar of any map's money. We have the and .001$ 1oifirorr? Prices. see The Verdict on inspection is: I saw their many bargains, I nailed some on the spot; There may be others just as good, But I - guess not-! As good as any in Huron Co., Excellent for Oats, Peas, Wheat Clover, Timothy, Po - toes and all kinds of roots. Prices are as good as any on the lakes, owing lo the nearness of the mines and lumber woods to the west - Ward. What class of people live there ? They are -nearly all from Huron Co. You meet -there so many old neighbors that you can hardly believe yon have left home. I want to tee that land. Who has it for sale? Inquire 01 E. C. DAVIDSON, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 61-TC9, oung; Prgus had4t8-4tTews, Record; VT911-1t'sSiguarh--,4111aer a vigorous writer . tlioIatter '-," "s..-2,-........ 3 -,... 11 ' .. 'N-1.7.'14 : (.1. r,s — - ' ' 24 Rif.: 4.11- ._ • ' - ....s.....,&!:: •-•f#4, --- ee: ---Aie.---- ' n3r person whose Cash J1 purchases aggregate 9' gets their choiee of anyone of the Pio on exhibition atour Store. • One-half amount of produce is allowed on above. Be sure and get your picture cards punched and get a picture. It will cost you nothing to try for one, as you will make money on every deal. Prochide taken,