Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1882-12-02
SATURDAY. DECEMBER ?, 1882.
THE EDITORS POSITION.

The following is a portion of the adj
dress delivered before the Dakota Edit
or's and Publishers association which
met at Huron on the 10Th uIt. by l.. T..
McClarren, of the Press & Dakotaian,
and AS it contains many pertinent point
we deem it worth of reproduction:
las a small band Of weary toi!ers we
have met on this occasion to compare
notes, and, if possible, devise means
whereby We can look the more fortunate
OF Gods creatures in the face and claim
Il kinship to humanity, which the world
at large ignores except 1T election times.
1t is not my intention i'm this moral effu-
sion TO say aught that may in the least
take from the followers OF journalism
any of the feelings that made Us feel
digniiied enough TO look IL vender in the
face and stand him off for the %proyender
necessary TO the existence of our little
families. but my main object is 10 estab
lish our identity. We occupy too much
the position Of strangers in the world.
1t is true a free pass to Il second grade
minsirelsy rolls in once in a while, but
that is neither bread nor butter nor a
certificate of character, and has about as
much effect in giving a fellow a financial
standing in the world rs a LAWYERS
PRAYER would have in checking IA Dakota
cyclone.
The editor occupies a peculiar position
in the world. He goes into the business
expecting to dig out a bare living, and
ii is generally a good deal more dig than
anything else. If he goes into the bust
ness expecting peaches and cream and a
change of linen he dies early. But the
great lever that lands men in journalism
is their great love OF truth. 1t was so in
my case. / shudder when | think of
how near | came TO crippling myself in
early life. 1t was away back years ago,
when the hair on my head was thicker
than il IS now. | had "A sheep skin in
my pocket from an eastern law school,
paper collar in my grip" and a heart AS
full of hope as Dakota has been Of poll
tics. | tried the practice, but the very
first case | found the only way to get
my client out was to lie him out, which
l did. 1 Immediately abandoned the
law, and took up the truthful trade of
journalism.
The editors position in the world is
peculiar, and | want 10 point out some
of the peculiarities, 50 that | may more
fully establish our identity.
The chilling fact is, the good that is i'm
us is not appreciated. If it were our
wives would do less turning of last
years dresses. This has become such
an age of wide religious range and winks
at temptation that an editor generally
stands alone rs the great thumper of
evil. Ii is his nature to 60 right i'm and
use his ammunition. The world. as a
rule, calls him a fool for bis aggressive
ness, though his ventilation of wrong
wherever he finds it is the greatest safe
guard society has. He is ALWAYS the
first man in "A town to expose CORRUPTION
and save the dollars and reputation Of
the people. If he were supported by
the better element of society as much as
he is by the transgressors, his ulster
could be lain aside in the budding
spring-time. His entire wardrobe would
look less like a claim shanty struck by
lightning. The world expects him to
thump the devil for the whole commu-
nifty, on an empty stomach. When an
editor becomes so financially thin that
he can't cast a shadow he is in a poor
condition to defend the homer of his
neighborhood. He is expected 10 write
brilliant articles, while around him are
lowering like vultures a score of anx-
ious creditors-enough TO make any
man, except IN editor, appoint Il re-
ceiyer, or an undertaken. | have seen
country editors without money so long
tn It they couldn't tell a nickle from a
quarter.
The average citizen does not realize
what good a paper does for a town or
section. They look upon the publisher
as kind Of a poor ilabecile incapable Of