To the editor:

I read with interest that The Journal won first place in the recent Minnesota newspaper contest for Editorial Page. As a reader of The Journal for about 25 years, this award was no surprise to me. I have always thought that the most remarkable thing about The Journal is its editorial page. Every small town paper, one presumes, covers local news and sports. But how many publish two or three op-ed pieces every day from nationally syndicated writers with a variety of viewpoints?

Readers of The Journal, no doubt, have their own favorites. I always turn to the editorial page first, and I especially look forward to articles by George Will and Mona Charen. But I also appreciate carefully crafted editorials by people who think differently than I do. In our diverse country, it is wholesome to try to understand the thinking of others and to see that they have their arguments too.

It is also useful to read the polished English of people who know how to use the language. Some editorialists are such good writers that they grab my attention from beginning to end, even though I may not be interested in the topic. Kathleen Parker is one such example.

So, congratulations to The Journal for this award. I think it is well-deserved, and I hope that you can continue to provide a robust editorial page. Through it, you are doing much to ensure a well-informed citizenry in your reading area.

Thomas Nass

New Ulm