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The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., June 23, 1921, page 2

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY

The month of roses and brides happens also to be the birth month of the Hood River Glacier. This newspaper, the oldest business institution of Hood River county, except the Mt. Hood hotel, came into being in June, 32 years ago. The Glacier has made a steady growth since the first issue was turned out with an old hand press. The paper was founded by Geo. T. Prather, now a resident of the Summit district. The late John H. Cradlebaugh, one of Oregon's most gifted writers, edited it until 1894, when he sold it to S.F. Blythe, the latter sold the paper in 1904 to its present owner. Ink for the first copy was spread over the old press by D.E. Rand, who for two years was devil and general assistant in the original office.
This 32nd birthday month is the Glacier's proudest and happiest. News that we had been chosen at the Oregon Agricultural College Farmer's Week as the leading rural weekly newspaper of the state of Oregon, where the standard of city and country press alike is recognized as being particularly high, was gratifying. It is indeed heartening to have the efforts of weeks, years and months thus rewarded. It is a stimulus to urge us on to an even better record.
While we believe we can say without being guilty of immodesty that the decision of the Corvallis judges resulted to a large extent from our own efforts to furnish our clients, readers, the general public and subscribers with the best in us, the Hood River community as a whole should accept news of its newspaper leadership with gratification. In a measure a community's newspapers are a reflection of the life of the community in which they exist. In many ways newspapers that make headway are expected to take the initiative in matters touching the public weal. The general community spirit is always a spur to such initiative. The merchants of Hood River, too, should consider the victory of the Glacier as partly their own. Hood River merchants aid weekly in making possible a newspaper of quality by their use of advertising. In few committees the size of Hood River have merchants learned the value of advertising as have local business firms. The columns of advertising tell weekly the story of Hood River as a community of progressive business houses.
We consider our victory at Corvallis the result of years of striving. Our predecessors set a pace for honest journalism. The brilliance of Mr. Cradlebaugh even in this late date stars us to emulation. The continuing interest of Mr. Blythe, although ownership of the publication passed completely an 1904, remains an inspiration to us.
We are expecting our silver cup soon. Come in and join us in admiring it. We will possess it as custodian, but we wish that the people of Hood River, when they think of it or see it, would consider it with a sense of proprietorship, for it belongs to Hood River.
The Glacier aims to make further progress. We do not hope, however, ever to participate in anything sensational. This would not be in keeping with our past record. We prefer to be conservative, and yet aggressive when occasion arises. When we criticize it is for constructive purposes, never to leave wanton scars or to tear down. From week to week we hope to divide our space, proportionate to merit, with all of the activities of the county, civic, religious, business, social and others, and faithfully chronicle all of the happenings to stimulate honest endeavor in all fields and thus to bring about rural community cooperation and grow.
We notice that we were criticized for carrying advertisements on our front page. Despite the fact that this has long been a characteristic mark of the Glacier, we know that it must offend the eyes of the other newspapers for the simple reason that it is no longer in fashion. But in Hood River, the Glacier without its front page advertisements would be like Mount Hood without Cooper's Spur. Some newspapers that present a handsome front page make us think of the man who spends all on a suit of clothes and wear a dickie and no underclothes. You see all the week's news on the front page. It is the endeavor of the Glacier to fill all of its pages with a wholesome presentation of local news.
We do not mean to imply a sole justification of our front page advertisements simply because we are following a custom long established. The front page advertising copy has benefits and advantages of mutual good for us and for our advertisers. We try to apportion equally the live and interesting reading material and advertisements of each page. If we did not carry advertisements on the front page, we should necessarily have to add two additional pages to the paper, or fill some inside pages almost exclusively with advertising copy. By utilizing a set proportion of the front page each week, we equalize the advantages of all advertisers in having their advertising messages more closely aligned with news matter.
Neat advertising copy, well placed and carrying a message that interests the reader is attractive, whether on the front page or the back. The Glacier's front page advertising copy, we believe, never offends the eyes of any reader.
The Glacier is a local paper. We do not to try to settle national or international affairs. Our scope is limited to Hood River and things that touch on Hood River life.