Why the Local Editor is Tired of Being an 'Easy Mark'

A Herald heading says 'The Country Editors are Going to Hold Up Candidates to the Tune of $10.' The heading was probably a joke, but for fear it wasn't, let us hasten to say it isn't true. The Tribune editor was not at the Editorial Association meeting, but he knows what was done and heartily subscribes to it. There is no proposal to hold up anyone, candidate or no candidate. There are few country papers in the hold-up business. The action taken was simply a protective measure to save any country publisher from the club of a possible 'fool killer.' It was to charge the nominal rate of $10 for political announcements of candidates for country offices, and higher rates for candidates for State offices. Country editors in the past, and still in many localities, have been properly termed 'easy marks.' Candidates have brought in a 5-cent cigar, a picture, and an obituary of themselves, expecting the editor to give them $14 worth of free advertising. Then, after the election, if they were defeated, they have roasted the paper; and if elected, they have given the printing of their office to the editor's city competitors. The newspaper men of Whatcom County don't propose to use their goal space to advertise Tom, Dick and Harry for some office that nobody wants them to fill unless they get a fair advertising rate.