Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-10-25


In publishing The following from the New
York Journal IF Commevcs. re would Dot
intimate that ito pleasant structures can ap>
ply to any Of eur correspondents bat We
publish i, neve .thciess. commencing 1t to
swhom it may concern :"
VERY queer IDEAS arc entertained BY q
pottiun OF tho public in regard 70 tho rights
and duties Of i.tors, and 900 relationship
sabsisting bel seen an editsr and his sub
scribers. W On James l, was asked TO de
fine free monarchy, lie replied that u was
. government where the monarch was left
free TO do as he pleased. Some people, by
. similar process OF reasoning, seem to think
that free press il a press that il free for
inc u say what choose Of others provided
always, that nobody shall have the liberty
Of saying anything against me-" The edi-
tofjai workshop 10 often the theatre Of many
amusine scenes. from which hundreds of
comic ske,ches may Be drawn every year.
Nearly every man thinks himself cal able o!
giving the best possible advice TO On editor,
and writes him down - . very long cared
animal u be does not follow II. forgetting
that there are any other principles, views "
opinions than those entertained BY himself.
IN this hsppy country every one 70 not only
horn q politician but . statesman anu
nearly every one Who has caught hold Of the
leg or wing Of an idea thinks lie Is qualified
(ssthwith 70 write for the press-.sch, Of
course. thinks that his own political views
are the only correct ones, and that the
country will be ruined II they are not fol
lowed. Aud ir the editor darss to reject
them, on account of Objectionable charsr,er
or sorrowlul composition, or for want of
room. he il often denounced - blockhead,
or . political trimmer. or Is wanting in
spirit.
Again there 10 a class Of writers, both
ffos the city and the country press, who
think they are comforting a particular favor
upon the editors by every liac they write,
because il will help to I'll up Indeed. the
popular opinion, everywhere, seems 10 be
chat newspaper editors arc wonderfully per.
picked 20 find matter TO fiji their columns
whereas. the reverse OF this is the fact. -
Their trouble is 10 iind space for the tenth
part Of the matter they get prepared. aud
many Of their own cditori.ls are swept into
the waste basket for want Of room.
A faithful source Of vocation arises from
the complaints Of people who either are at
tackled, or fancy they are, by correspon
dents, or perhaps for cause, by the editor
himself. Cases often occur in which Z
|, person puts n cap upon his head, that va.
, fitted up for some one else; and il often
happens that covert attacks are made upon
individuals, which, in the hurry of business
nre not APPARENT to the editsr, or do not
, meet his eyes until after tho publication.
| In oil these cases involving every shade and
variety, he is obliged 10 meet tn cass either
directly las he will. il an honorable ma'., Il
; The responsibility justly devolvcs upon him.
or, in ca>c Of accidental mis- axes. do the
. best he can. In London and Paris the ed
itor rarely has any difficulty Of this descrip
ton to encounter, because he is not known
40 such, and the publisher there stands IL
} the gap. One Of these, the publisher Of ;
violent political paper, always abounding ii
personalities, resoricd 10 the device Of pay
ing . salary to Hshung editor. For thi,
; purpose huge Patsgonian fellow, six fee
! three in his stockings. WAS engaged, wh.
answered all bclligercnt calls upon the I'd
itor. Whenever an enraged individua
called 20 demand the name Of . writer, OF
satisfaction Of the editor. the giant form .
'.Iom' would come forth. buttoned 10 tn
, chin with 'ireadnsught coat ard stou
oaksn shillsl.h under his arm, and an
swcr the summons. His appearance W.,
usually sufficient 10 give satisfaction
! aud his catcchists were generally glad I,
retire with an apology for having intu,rupt
cd his studies This policy, rs far rs VI
know, has not ye. been adopted in TIL
country
{ The practice Of Withdrawing paironag
from papers for mere difference Of opin
ion between the editor and subsc,ibcf, upo
accidental questions. is very i,iul Al Il
l moreover, nurely american. In no oths
country is il so frequently resostcd 10 rs i
: this; aud Il is but n sorry method Of mani
Testing disIlcasure or dissent"