Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-17

foRicK," IN THE PORTLAND PRESS.
Newspaper folks learn many disagreeable
things about their fellow men for they are
IN way TO see all the little vanities and
meannessess OF people. The spectacle Of a
man coming in and writing a Mandatory
notice OF himself or soliciting mention in
the "personsl-,' naturally di-pOses them
to be skeptical in regard to the announce
ments seen in print elsewhere. Another
thing the editor man learns to his cost -
that 1t usually does not "pay" to say kind
things OF people, TOR by so dUiug he puts
himself under obligations to them. A man
who has long helt Office establishes claim
upon public support and thinks he Is en-
titled to a living at the general expense
The claim is conceded too. usually without
question. Su-and-so has lost the office he
has 50 long held; he must be provided for
Why? D. Io has beeu-whateyer il is
aud We must look out for him. Ii seems to
be held that there is an implied obligation
on the part OF the country to keep bun in
Office. Ii is much the same with the news
paper. II a journal incautiOusly says
good word Tor man he expects 1t to per-
severe in saying good woods Tor him, and
leels injured and becomes Its bitter foe il 1t
does not. lie has established claim upon
1t. Now a. the man who has never held
ufbcc does not put the country under bonds
to provide tor his support during his nat
ural lie, 20 the man who has never been
kindly spoken of by the papers does not feel
that 1t Il their duty u cJatinuaily praise
him.
vi course there ara exceptions to this
general rule, as there are al dest men
There are people who ackncw ledge that
they and not tie newspapers are the debt
Ors. Bat too oiten the public man whose
course has been commended and whose
political fortunes have been advanced BY
journal, feels indignant and injured it that
journal, in justice to Itself and its readers
ard with regard to what it believes to be
the best interests OF the Country, feels call
ed upon to criticize his political action or
take issue with him on any question of
public policy. The actor wh1 has been
praised night after night BY the dramatic
critic instantly torgets all the good things
said of hin, when he happeos to play
part badly and the critic tells him
and the public SO. lie hates the
critic Ii is not merited praise he SEEK.
but edulation. The author who has
written many good books that have COM
mended themselves to the favorable atten-
ton Of the reviewer, writes a bad book
that is properly Condemned. The favor
able notices are forgotten by him and only
the uniav0rablo are remembered. Ii Is the
same with the paister and the singer.
Sometimes the crItn makes mistake,
oitener In the favorable than in the I'M
favorable notices. Bot his judgment is
never impugned as long as it Is c1mmendi-
The mi Ia kp IL nlnIlu nuortnnka1
No mercy. though. is extended when the
judgme is eOndenrat1ry. lie is not
even said to be mistaken. lie is at once
accused of malice, and the author or the |
artist charges him with spite.
Newspaper men aS0 learn that the ir- |
ritsble tribes are not alone the poets, and |
the artists and the act5rs. These are more |
before the public, get O.tener criticized, |
and SO Oftener show their irritation. But |
it exists everywhere. The farmer who |
carries big sluashes every year 10 the
county fair Is gratifsd at the notice
he gets in the reports. Some day his
suashes are overlooked; perhaps a new
scribe writes who knows Tot Jonathan.
The farmer is wroth at once, and no power
in the world can convince him that the edi-
tor is not down on him" A tOrch-lght
procession takes place during a political
and the houses on the line of
march are illuminated The reporters as they |
hurry along the line strive to remember all
he illuminations. They omit one, perhaps
through hurry, perhaps because they can
ind no one to give them information. Next
lay the irate householder whose display
las not been mentioned comes down and
tops his paper. A great industrial exhibi-
ion IL gwen in the nail. One exhibitor
tsnd, by his case of goods and promptly
answers the questions OF the man with the
notebook. AT the next stand no one is to
70 found. The owner OF the neglected
tand grumbles next day because his neigh
,Or gets better notice than he does, and
complains that the reporter does not neg
ect the duty of the hour and run through
mile of streets 10 the grumbler'-
hop to get some information about the
sareS at the hall. The man who Is too
tupid or too indOlent to seZ' upon a graf
itous advertisement tlane4 any thing but
lis own stupidity. The church society that
as received a thousand notices and had at
+ urgent solicitation many a dull OF feeble
iscourse by its pastor Published, flies into
iOst unchrlstian rage hen a paper already
rOwded with news matter cannot make
Dom for three or iOnr columns Of dreary
or even for really brilliant
ermOn.
The truth is most men are like cats. You
lay caress them for a year and they will
urr loudly, and rub round you. and lick
our hands; but if You by accident happen
, stroke their fur the wrong way they in
.anty forget the kindness OF the whole
ear and turn upon you with teeth and
aws II We should
Move upward, workin OFT the b,asc ,
And let the ape and tiger cie,"
) the Laureate says, we should make some
tempt too, at working out the most con-
mptible beast oil them all, and the hardest
kill, the nine-lived cat {