Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-07
,JOTBNAEJsys AND OFFICE.

A Pennsylvania paper having mentioned
the name of Col John w. Forney, editor
of the Philadelphia Press, as a candidate
for Governor of that State, he declined to
be candidate, and in his letter makes
some remarks worthy the consideration
and remembrance of all journalists. For
the service they do there is no class so
poorly paid as editors. They are always
Juggling at the oar in the public service.
Nothing of public nature can move with
out their assistance, yet if they venture to
claim fair compensation, in official
honors or patronage, they are too often
compelled to stand aside. This, as Col.
Forney says, is partly their own fault
They must respect themselves and each
other if they desire the public to respect
them. They should aim to build up the
profession instead of being engaged in
pulling it down. Personal SANDER and
abuse of each other should be avoided as
much as possible, a fraternal feeling should
be cultivated, and in due time honorable
service and true manliness will obtain hon
orable recognition and reward. Col.
Forney says in his letter:
eff your own proud independence as a jour
nalist did not admonish me that newspaper men
in America are most powerful out OF office,
the fact that our avocation has none of the
esprit du corps of other professions would be
conclusive Take the editors of the United
States as class, and is it not true that they
are signally fitted for representative, admins
trative, and executive positions! Their very
business compels them to understand Govern
ment and men. They have to study the wants.
the habits, the principles, the resources, and
the destinies of the people. They know poll
tics as ''the season knows the sea-" There is
hardly a county town in America, north or
south. in which the local editor is not worth to
the community dozen party leaders, no mat
ter how you consider them. And yet how
rarely he is thought of. Now and then he is
propitiated by little county office, but when
high honors are to be distributed some volu-
able lawyer or housing incapacity wins the
prize, and the editor rctires to his work of
making public opinion for the regular nomi
ton.
Whose fault is this :? / answer. our oicn.
No sooner is a journalist nominated for a
prominent position than straightway journal
lists proceed to pull him down. Bless us how
we delight to blacken each other; and how
successfully we do it is apparent by the APP
plausc OF the office-hunters, who would meet
very different fate II only we could be
united. may be told that there are editors
In Congress; but those who get In and stay
there-men ike BROOKS, Colfax, Anthony,
Blaine and Dawes-haye long ago given up
their profession. lawyer goes into Con-
grcss and practices his profession, and nobody
complains; but let a newspaper man try the
same experiment, and he is at once held up
to ridicule, and always by his own asso-
ciates. In France, and recently in England,
some of the most influential statesmen are
journalists, writing for their papers while they
lead in debate; and in Germany, when Bis
marck sat in the German Parliament, he was
one of the best, and one OF the best known,
of the Berlin journalists.
But, seriously, have not the slightest am
bition for any Office whatever. Had the time
| have given to public station been devoted
to my business should to- day be a more con-
tented and prosperous man. 1t is true that
sort of experience has not been without its
uses. l have had many opportunities to meet