Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 304, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1919 — MT. AYR BROTHERHOOD MAY EDIT THE TRIBUNE. [ARTICLE]

MT. AYR BROTHERHOOD MAY EDIT THE TRIBUNE.

Editor W. R. Lee, of the Mt. Ayr Tribune, has a column article in his issue of this week in which he I says that the brotherhood of that ! place is considering taking over the publication of the Tribune. The article, in part, follows: At the regular meeting of the Community Brotherhood Friday evening the editor of the Tribune was present and advanced the idea of the brotherhood taking over and editing the paper for the community. The thought, of coilrse, was a new one and an investigating committee, consisting of three members, Rev. Sheets, Lloyd Hopkins and Dr. Martin, was appointed to meet with the present editor to talk the proposition over thus to be able to lay before the association all the facts concerning it, that said association might be able to take intelligent steps to assume or reject as they saw fit. The Tribune is not on the rocks of adversity by any means, but the writer after three years of service as edjtor, —has decided to discontinue the paper unless some other fellow or fellows with as much civic pride and public spirit see fit to continue it for the good' of the community. That we were largely responsible for the birth of the Tribune into the community is the principal reason for our maintaining it as long as we have; for it has not by any means been a money making proposition. But it has always been our motto to endeavor in our weak way to add and not detract from the welfare of the community in which we live. And we have always felt that the loss of any enterprise in a community was a step backward, and felt that particularly this be true in the loss of the community paper. However, other business men show little or no concern about it and we cannot see why we ! should be expected to carry it alone. True we have had a selfish purpose ; to the extent of advertising our mercantile business through .these years, but feel that in advertising our oWn business we have always ' advertised our neighbors also and feel certain’ that in most instances* they have derived quite as much benefit as we, ourselves. Thus, we feel that if it is a good thing, it is time to pass it on to someone else. Connected as we are With a considerable mercantile business we have not had the time to solicit the business that rightfully belongs to a neighborhood paper nOr are we much inclined to try to teach others their business. And if our fellow business men did not appreciate the paper as an institution sufficient to set aside a certain amount for advertising therein and come regularly with it, thus making the amount expended serve the dual purpose of a better business for themselves as well as fostering a needed enter- ; prise for the town, we have always . felt too modest to insist on their doing so.