For several years past the old fashioned newspaper, characterized by elegance of literary style and diction, commended for its accuracy of statement and freedom from offensive personality has been at a discount in various sections of the United States. In its place has grown up what we now call "Yellow Journalism," - newspapers which abound in sensational articles, most of which are far from truthful, striking illustrations in colors of the weaknesses and failings and foibles of human nature and editorials which appeal to the sordidness of the people in attempts to control their actions. The "Yellow Journal" has had a long era of prosperity, covering a period of ten years, but clearly to its entire destruction and elimination from our daily life. The sentiment of the best people, the enlightenment of the day, the refinement of the country are all combined for the destruction of the "Yellow Journal" and two years will not see one printed in the United States.

This city has ever been the home of culture and the "Yellow Journal" has never gained a very strong foot-hold in our midst. Yet a persistent effort has been made for the past five years to establish a local evening paper of that character. Fortunately such efforts have not been successful and the attempt will undoubtedly be abandoned in the near future.

For thirty years the Colorado Springs Gazette has been the recognized newspaper leader in Colorado along the lines of clean, decent, conservative, progressive and able journalism. It was founded as such a newspaper and so strong has the character of its founder and editor, Mr. B.W. Steele, and so faithfully and ably did he do his work for the thirteen years he issued it, which was until his death, that it grounded itself into the confidence of the people of the entire state, and it has grown in favor every day since then because its policy has been one of attempts to build up instead of efforts to destroy; to report events, speeches, sayings and other matter of a news nature exactly as they occur; to do no injustice to any man, woman or child and to always and immediately rectify mistakes where they occur. In political matters the Gazette is Republican but never so partisan as to abuse any person for their political opinions or to misrepresent them. We believe in argument, not personalities. We have just now many corrupt men in positions of trust in party management and otherwise in the Republican party in Colorado, and the Gazette does not hesitate to denounce such men. Good government is of more importance than the success of any political party and no party should succeed that either encourages or permits corrupt men or methods to dominate it.

That the policy of the Gazette is approved by the people is demonstrated in the result. In a city of 23000 people, only the third in size in the State, Denver having 150,000 and Pueblo 26000, the Gazette has a circulation in Colorado alone of 9500 copies daily, a larger circulation than any paper in the State except the Denver News and Denver Post, which each has a daily circulation of about 20,000.

600 copies of the Gazette are daily delivered by carriers in the city of Denver, which has four newspapers of its own. This is something unknown to any other city of this size in the United States that its paper should have a bona fide paid circulation of several hundred in a neighboring city of nearly eight times its size, and that other city the capital and largest city in the State. Besides this the Gazette is delivered by early morning courier in Pueblo, Cripple Creek, Victor, Boulder, Florence and Canon City and several thousand papers daily are sent to more remote portions of the State through the mails.

Several copies of the paper will be found in this Chest and the general character of the paper will show for itself.

The Gazette is not yet what I should like to have it. The ideal newspaper is much smaller and the news and comments much more condensed. In your day that will be possible, for the masses will be so well educated and the human race will have progressed so much that everything can be done by suggestion and not worked out in detail. Indeed, your methods of communication may not be by newspapers at all. Millions of our own fellow citizens would be delighted if we had some other method in vogue at the present time.

However that may be, we are trying to honestly serve our constituents, our city, our State, our nation and to give the news each day in as attractive and clean manner as possible.

We greet you with the wish that the newspapers of your day will be as much superior to ours as we are to those of Philadelphia one hundred years ago.

I.N. Stevens