Editorial re: The Visitor newspaper, Marengo, 1860

VANMETER, EDWARDS

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall - Iowa Old Press
Date: 3/6/2014 at 02:19:14

Better Back Out!
We notice that our young and talented friend, Vanmeter, proposes to establish a new paper at Marengo, Iowa county. Will Van allow us to give him a little fatherly advice?

The 'Visitor' already established there is edited and printed by the widow and daughters of an old printer. By hard work and economy they are hardly able to live, yet, rather than become a charge upon their friends, they continue with an energy and we may say talent, creditable to them to publish the 'Visitor'. To do this must have required many weary hours of toil and anxiety, which can only be appreciated by those who have gone through the experience of publishing a country newspaper.

We know but little about the family, but an momentary glance at the young ladies sticking type, two years since, and the knowledge that they and the widow of Mr. Edwards have continued so arduous and difficult a means of gaining a living, is sufficient to arouse the sympathy of every printer in the State in their behalf.

The idea of competing with Mrs. Edwards and daughters for the business of Marengo and Iowa county, is one we could not for a moment entertain. It would seem like robbing the widow and orphans, and our word for it, you will never prosper in the undertaking. It may be very desirable to have a Democratic paper at Marengo, but not at the expense of a widow and her fatherless children. Let our Democratic friends there either make up a handsome sum of money sufficient to support the family until the children are gown up or are able to take care of their mother, or let them wait until Marengo has obtained a population of two or three thousand and the county is well settled.

Offered advice is apt to be unappreciated, but we really think our friend Vanmeter had better back square out of the project. If not, we can see no way for him to redeem himself, except to marry one of the daughters.

~Dubuque Herald, Friday morning, January 6, 1860

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