The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-03-28
Faliacies About Editors.
BY ZONE OF EN-"


The popular idea Of an editor is, mir
cradle man, rerpetualIy t"rmcnted with
the task Of finding material to fill up
II newspaper-a bottomless abyss, that
is AS incapable Of overlooking as the cup
Of happiness. Out of this pawniug gulf
there is supposed to issue periodically a
devil. Day and night the Unsuitable fcnd
is said to haunt him, and scream in his
ears for Copy, more copy"
1t is no such thing. There is no such
man. There is no abyss, and no devil.
II is humLug-every word of it. The
last apprehension that ever fits through
the brain Of an edtor-and there are
great many-is the apprehension that
there will not be enough to fill up
with"
Not enough to fill up! Does not Con-
grcss sit nine months Of the yearl Do
they not spend three-fourths of the time
IN making long speeches of not the slight
es, interest to anybody in the world -
No body listens to them when they are
made. Nobody reads them aftcrwarl.-
What then are they fur3 Clearly TO
prlnt-to fill up newspapers.
Are there not tergraIhs in operation
all over the land, bringing in important
rnm"rS Of startling events to-day, to be
followed 10y equally important contradir-
ti"nS OF them tn MORROW Ii there is any
one thing the public like better than ha,.
ing mystery explained, it is being mys-
t'tird over again with 4 new one. Now,
how could this lie done so frequently and
efectnalIy rs 10y having newspapers to
disseminate telegraphs, and tcIcgraphs to
hil up newspapers.
Are there not conventions, and convo-
cations, and assemblies, and meetings.
some benevolent, some Indignant, some
hilarious, and all large and enthusiastic
constantly going on, and dcrising all
manner of short cuts across lots to the
millennium, which il is of the utmost I'M
portance that the world should take i'm
medlateIyG DO not the eloquent gentle
men who invariably address them always
happen to have in their pocket an elah-
orately.wrltten rough draft of what they
said, which they would not have publish
ed for any consideration? DO they not
always kindly consent to waive their per
sonal feelings, out of regard to The editor
and the public, Notwithstanding it is so
defective ? What is this but method
OF filling up newspapers
Are there not piles and piles of ex-
change papers lying on the table, lying
on the chairs, lying on the floor of The
editorial saucIum, every one of which
presents It's readers this week with the
Ssry best and latest original and seIertcd
matter? Are there not scissors living at
the editorial elbow
And above all, are there not hosts Of
K nj friends " ho every day send in long
communications, each one of which relates
10 the most important topic in the world
and therefore The one which ought to be
written about tirstl DO they not gener.
ally allow them to be published for notI
ingl Do they not do all this solely with
view to save the editor trouble, and 10
fiji up his paperl
Instead Of there not being enough to
I'LL mp. it is just the other way. There is
TOO much. The trouble is to cut it down
pare off the edges, shorten in the ends,
and leave out the middle so as TO get il
all in. Show me an editor and will
show you man thai, twelve time day
laments that his paper Is 80 small. More
things happen in a day than can be pub
lisled in a week. There IS no limit to
news; but newspapers, also, arc bounded
BY feet aud iocl,es.