Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-13
A Chapter About Editors.

Newspaper editors are personages with whom, in the mind of the public at large, there has always been associated a certain de 1 gree of mystery. There is no class of men whose work passes directly and con- l stantly before the public eye yet there arc i few with regard to whose real position and 1 functions more vague, confused or erroneous | notions entertained even the part of persons otherwise well informed. This is ! no doubt largely due to the anonymity which is preserved in the newspaper press of this country. Readers come to identify the . opinions of particular organ more with the | sheet of printed paper, and with it's distinc- tive name and features, than with the individ- 1 ual or individuals by whom 1t is directed, and of whom, 1t may be, they know nothing.
 The power and influence, with their attend ant responsibility, 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 described IS most attractive one for young mon in search of a career, especially if they be fairly educated, and believe they are imbued with the fire of genius. The com- monest mistake of such aspirants to the edi- torial chair Is that they greatly underestimate the attainments requisite for such position. They speak of taking to journalism" as if it were very simple matter, to be accomplish ed without much personal trouble or incon- venience, and never thinking of the long years of patient work and varied experience l can reach the point they have in view. Jour nalisul is now and is becoming more so every year, profession for which special train ing is required. There have been instances in which men of brilliant parts and profound erudition have proved signal failures in the editorial chair; while men of inferior educa ton and meaner intellectual powers, but with those indispensable qualiications-tact judg. ment and experience-haye succeeded ad- mirably under the conditions. It is, therefore, quite erroneous for young man to suppose that because he has had the ad- vantage of good education, writes with facility, and has a notion of such work he can take to journalism" and surmount all difficult ties, as it were with pair of seven-league boots.
 Amerjcan paner that he wanted to be an edi- tor; and the reply which he received is wei. worth reproducing ,hera. ''1aast thou, " asKeu tns edItor, draw up leviathan with an hook thou lettest down? Canst thou hook up great ideas from the depths of thine intellect, and clean, scale and fry them at five minutes notice Canst thou write editorials to in ure Canst thou write editorial to fit in a three quarter column of the paper, which shall be in length just p inches, having three inches of fine sentiment. four ilches ot hu- nor in the middls, and t.I outburst of maxim and precept, six inches long, at the close ?''
 This will, of course, be regarded as bit of
 facetious exaggeration on the part of the edi-
 tor, and doubt it was but it really reflects
 certain necessary phases in the work of a
 journalist. Important intelligence frequent
 ly arrives at the newspaper office within a
 short time of the paper going to press, and if
 the editor wishes to be upsides ahead of
 his contemporaries, as most editors do, he
 must have a leading article on the subject in
 the same issue as that in which the news ap-
 pears. There is not moment to be lost
 indeed, there may be scarcely time to per form the mere mechanical operation of writ , ing what has to be said, not to speak of hunt. ing about for an idea, an appropriate quota-
 tion, or a choice form of expression. These must all in the language of the American editor, be hooked up, cleaned, sealed and fried without delay.