The Portland daily press., 1882-11-23
Editors and Their Work.
The Journalist as a Character Much
Talked of But Not Often Seen.

lChamDerS- journal
Newspaper editors are personages with whom
in the mind of the public at large, there has
always been associated certain degree of mys-
terry. There are no class of men whose work
passes so directly and so constantly before the
public eA 6; vet there few with II gard to
whose real position and functions more vague,
confused or erroneous notions are entertained,
even on the part of persons otherwise well III
formed. This is no doubt largely due TO the
kanonymity which is preserved in the news
paper press of this country. Readers come to
identify the opinions of particular organ
more with the sheet of printed paper, and with
lis distinctive rame aud features, than with
the individual or individuals by whom it is
directed, and of whom, it may be, they know
nothing.
TIE power and influence, with their attend
ant responsible ty, exercised by the editors OF
our great newspapers, are enormous. Thomas
Carlyle once described journalists as the true
kings and priests of the nation. The Office SO
described is most attractive one for young
men in search of career, especially if they be
fairly educated, and believe they are imbued
with the fire of genius. The commonest mis-
take of such aspirants to the editorial chair is
that they greatly underestimate the attain
ments requisite for such position. They
speak of taking to journalism" as if it were
very simple matter, TO be accomplished with
ont much personal trouble or inconven-
| fence, and never thinking of the long years of
| patient work and varied experience " hich will
| have to be undo rgone before they can reach
| the point they have in view. journalism is
now, and is becoming more so every year, a
| profession for which special training is re-
| CURED There have been instances in which
| men of brilliant parts and profound erndition
| have proved signal failures in the editorial
| chair; while men of inferior education and
| meaner intellectual powers but with those in
| dispensable qualifications tact, Judgment and
experience-have succeeded admirably under
| he same conditions. It is, therefore, quite err
roneous for Young man to suppose that be-
| cause be has bad TIE ad vantage of good edu-
cation, writes with facility, and has notion OF
| such work, he can take TO Journalism and
snrmount all difficulties, as it we're with pair
| of seven league boo s.
Some years ago young man wrote to an
| American paper that he wanted to be an edit
| or; and the reply which he received is wei.
worth reproducing here. "Canst thou" asked
| the editor, draw up leviathan with an book
hon ettest down? Canst thou hook up great
ideas from the depths of thine intellect, and
clean, scale and fry them at five minutes no.
tice? Canst thou write editorials to MEASURE?
| Canst thou write editorial 10 fit in three
1 quarter column of the paper, which shall be in
length just twenty-five inches of fine septi
ment, four inches for the beginning, and nine
inches OF humor in the middle, and an out
burst of maxim and precept, six inches long,
| al the clos, 2"
Thu viii, of course, be regarded az bit of
| fActtiOuS exdggeraJion on the part of the edii-
or, aud doubt it-was but 1t re lily rthec,s
| ceItain necessary phases in the wark OF a
| i sur,slist Important teliigence frequently
arrives at the newspaper otfic, within shoI1
time OF he paper going to press, and II the ed
itor iSht S be upsloeS or ahead of his con-
l~iem ps FOL ies, most editors do, he must have
leading article on he subject i'll the same is-
sue as that in which the news appears. There
IS not moment TO be lost; indeed, there may
be carcely time to perform the mechanical
operation of writing what has to be said not TO
speak of hunting about for an idea, appr0-
pirate quotation, or a choice form of expires
sion. These must all, in the language OF the
American editor, be hooked up, cleaned, scaled
and fried without delay.
OF some of The difficulties against which the
editor has to contend, none but practical news
paper men have any conception. Take, for ex-
ample, the question OF space. It is common
fallacs among the general public that it
must be a very difficult matter to fnd news to
I'LL each days paper. So lar from this being
he Case, the ingenuity of editors aud sub
editors is continually on the stretch TO fino
space for even a Sc ection of the most i'm
portant news at their disposal. In the office
| Of leading daily newspaper, there is often
more matter thrown into the waste basket,
or struck out of man scripts, than would
suffice to fill the paper; while interesting tele-
grams, for which not only the post Office, but
the correspondents who have sent them, will
have to be paid, ere consigned to the same re-
ceptacle almost every night, simply because il
is imp ssible to fnd corner for them. The
calculations of the editor, moreover, are liable
TO be upset in hundred ways Some great
crisis, storm, crime or disaster occurs, an
important political question suddenly arises, or
| some great man dir S, or there is an extraordi-
nary and unexpected Influx of advertisements
perhaps combination of these-and all the
arrangements of the Office correspondinely
disturbed.