On March 20th, 1924, The Whitehorse Star made its first appearance under the present management. With this issue it enters upon its fifth year. In a few weeks the
paper will be entering upon the twenty-ninth year of its existence, having been established in 1900.
For a few years in the early twenties the life of The Star seemed to have been hanging in the balance. A glance at the files reveals the fact that a number of pilots took a turn at the wheel. On a few occasions it even suffered temporary suspension of publication. The man in charge in August, 1923, shook off the dust from his feet and left it in the office to accumulate until March, 1924, when the present incumbent arrived on the scene.
The situation was not at all inviting. A glance at the fragmentary records, and the paper itself, told piainly the story of why The Star had fallen by the wayside. Conducted along legitimate lines a paper can only at best be a reasonable distance in advance of the constituency it serves. The fellow comes to grief who tries to drive a Rolls Royce instead of a Ford, or a Ford instead of a wheelbarrow. The same is true of a constituency that demands a type of paper which it cannot maintain.
In our first issue an account was given of the survey made of the field and the conclusions reached. Care was taken to specify the size of the paper, if resumed, and the cost of advertising, for right here was the crux of the situation. The estimated revenue must at least equal the expenditure if the paper was to resume publication with a fighting chance to survive.
And it is because sound business principles were then applied, and since followed that Yukon has a vigorous, fearless and fair newspaper today.
The Whitehorse Star is not a victim of, or subservient to, herd opinion or dictation.
The Whitehorse Star has fearlessly, persistently and continuously stood for what it considered to be the best interests of Yukon.
In entering upon its fifth year The Whitehorse Star appeals for support on its record of the past four years; on the ground that it gives value for value, and that it gives its best support to everything that will make for a better and more prosperous Yukon.
