Below is a transcript of the editorial comment provided in the only surviving copy of the Tavistock Mail dated September 13, 1895.
P.S. The Tavistock Gazette, published by J.W. Green, commenced publication on September 25, 1895 and published continuously until October 14, 2021 when it was amalgamated with the Wilmot Post to become the Wilmot Tavistock Gazette.
Note and Comment
OUR RIVAL
It is truly said that the Lord never gives without giving to overflowing, and we suppose the same applies to the newspaper enterprise in Tavistock.
The publisher of this paper came to Tavistock some four weeks ago and surveyed the field with the intention of starting a newspaper in town.
After looking at it from all sides we came to the conclusion that it was possible for such an enterprise to live by practicing the utmost economy. Calling on all the principal business men of the town we were promised their patronage by way of advertising without a single exception. Our promise with the advertisers of the town was that should the enterprise show itself to be a success we would bring a plant here in the course of a few months and do the best we possibly could in getting a building suitable for conducting our business.
Last Thursday afternoon just as we were about ready to go to press a Mr. Green as he calls himself calls at our office in Drumbo and tells us that he, in company with a certain doctor of Tavistock, had canvassed all the business men of the town and that they had got assurance from them that they would support him, and him only, as he had made an arrangement to become a resident of the town and that his Divine mission was to inform us that we were to immediately desist from issuing any paper in Tavistock.
We told Mr. Green that we could see no reason for our so doing simply because he said so, but were very willing to let him have the field if he paid us for our outlay and trouble, and we would give him a good and fair sendoff to begin with.
Mr. Green thought this a downright affront to his dignity and gave us to understand that so far as he was concerned we were not the least in the way, and so far as allowing us any remuneration, he would never consent to that, but would run us out of town for nothing.
We would point out to Mr. Green that we are not accustomed to run or act the coward, and that we are here to stay; that we are here to carry out our agreement with our customers, and that we will put a plant and office in Tavistock just as soon as we possibly can.
Now, us we have put the facts before our readers, we will allow them to judge for themselves in the matter, and this will be the end of it, so far as we are concerned. We will not reply to anything he may say through the press, or through any paper he may publish himself, for we will in no way engage in a war of words, or in throwing mud for the amusement of the public and making fools of him and ourselves.
We have started out with the object or conducting THE MAIL in a manner that shall be a credit to ourselves and the town in which it is published, and we sincerely hope we will be able to carry out our intentions. We are certain the fair minded reading public of Tavistock are perfectly able to judge fairly and will not for a moment allow their patronage to run where it will cause any injustice.
Our work is our reference, and we will leave that with you.
N. H. Boden, Editor
The Tavistock Mail is printed every Thursday afternoon at the office, Main St., Drumbo, nearly opposite the Post Office.
Download the original scanned copy of The Tavistock Mail here.
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