Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-09-20
mTERMs OF aDyrnTIsrxr, -
What is an Editor ?

Brick Pomeroy gives his idea of wha. the
''critter'' is;
The man Who has failed at everything else
is hardly the man to be a successful editor, to
be a leader or director of public opinion, or to
spire the people with confidence,
Editors are made. They do not grow
The school of the sanctum is the severest in
the world. The school of the church is "a
nothing to it, for the church forgives in min.
listers what the public will not in editors.
An editor must know his business. He
must have fitted himself by study to know
the heart, capacity and sentiment of the peo.
pie. II must know who to abuse and who TO
praise-who TO endorse and who TO condemn.
He must. above all things. know right from
wrong, and dare stand by his convictions re.
gardless of life or success
II must be man who knows what to say,
and how TO say it. lie must be as impervi-
Gus TO censure, abuse, contempt or fattery. ns
the hack of the goose is to the rain. He
must know enough of life, Of men, of women.
of church, of State, of politics. of events, of
history current or concurrent, religious or pro,
fame. to write intelligcntlv and at once. He
must have been n student, not alone Of books,
but of men, events. faces and hearts.
Aud he must be sober man, with cool,
strong unprcjudiced brain. or he falls by the
wayside, lost under the feet of the rushing
throng.
The life of an editor is the life of dog.
Tic is slave TO the public that demands the
new aud not the old. He is tho one whose
work is never done whose thought is never
idle. who must think when others do not who
must think before he writes while he writes,
and after lie must he bold. brave. fearless,
defiant. II not he is bent down like reed,
aud is crushed at once.
He must answer at once and correctly. II0
must withdraw from others or he cannot watch
them-must he totally Indifferent what the
world says of him, and look for his light, his
strength, his power. his happiness and his in.
formation where others do not. or hc will be
tame and worthless He must know what he
wants to say, and how to say it, nping no style,
following no pattern. suffering no dictation.
asking no favors, fearing no results. Indifferent
whether he wounds or pleases, so long as he
makes his point sharp, direct, well told, and
convincing.
There arc but few editors in tho world
There are many who handle the scissors and
paste, brush Many Who are the tools Of poll
ticinns. Many who work for-they kHOW NOS
,chnt There are many who have led lives
of continued failure yet think themselves
pabIe of directing an intelligent public. There
are many conductors of newspapers who think
their mission and great aim. is TO beg for cord.
wood. turnips. fresh eggs and dried apples in
season. There are many who think tho writ
ing of paragraph describing Ere. fight, foot
race. or funeral makes them editor.
The best editors are the graduates. not of
colleges. gin mills caucns-rooms. of idle re-
sorts. but men who have worked their way
through printing Offices. breathing the air and
learning the language of types, and drinking
more of the inspiration of the press and the
printing Office than of the wine.
Editors are always wanted. but do not think
you are an editor. or eau ever be one, simply
because you have failed in being anything
nlsn