Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-10-10
Newspaper Editors and their Work.

Newspaper editors are persOnages with
whom, in the mind of the public at
large, there has always been associated
a certain degree of mystery. There is
no class of men whose work passes 30
directly and so constantly before the
public eye; yet there are few with re-
gard to whose real position and func-
lions more vague, confused, or errone-
GUS notions are entertained, even on the
part of persons otherwise well. Uniformed.
This is, no doubt, largely due to the
anonymity which is preserved in the
newspaper press of this country. Read
ers come to identify the opinions of q
particular organ more with the sheet OF
printed paper, and with it's distinctive
name and features, than with the indi-
vidual or individuals by whom it is d.
rected, and of whom, 1t may be, they
know nothing.
The power and influence, with their
attendant responsibility, exercised by
the editors of our great newspapers are
enormous. Thomas Carlyle once de
scribed journalists as the true kings and
priests of the nation. The Office so de.
scribed 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 mistake of such aspirants to
the editorial chair is that they greatly
under. estimate the attainments requisite
for such position. They speak of
taking to journalism" as If it were q
very simple matter, to be accomplished
without much personal trouble or incon-
venience, and never thinking of the
long years of patient work and varied
experience which will have to be under
gone before they can reach the point
they have in view. Journalism is now,
and is becoming more every year, pro.
fession for which special training is
required. There have been instances in
which men of brilliant parts and pro-
found erudition have proved signal fail
ures in the editorial chair; while men
OF inferior education and meaner INTEL
lectual powers, but with those indispen-
sable ualifications-tact, judgment,
and experience-have succeeded admir-
ably under the same conditions. It is,
therefore, quite erroneous for young
man to suppose that because he has had
the advantage of q good education,
| writes with facility, and has notion Of
such work, he can "take to journalism"
and surmount all difficulties, as it were,
| with pair of seven-league boots.
Some years ago a young man wrote to
| an American paper that he wanted to be
an editor; and the reply which he re-
ceived is well worth producing here
"Canst thou" asked the editor, draw
up leviathan with hook thou lettest
down? Canst thou hook up great ideas
from the depths of thine intellect, and
clean. scale and fry them at five min.
utess' notice? Canst thou write editO-
rails to measure? Canst thou write an
editorial to fit in three. quarter column
of the paper, which shall be in length
just twenty-five inches, having three
inches of fine sentiment, four inches for
the beginning, and nine inches of humor
in the middle, and an outburst of max
i'm and precept, six inches long at the
close ?"
This will, of course, be regarded as
bit of facetious exaggeration on the part
of the editor, and no doubt it was but
it really reflects certain necessary phases
in the work of a journalist. Important
intelligence frequently arrives at the
newspaper Office within short time of
the paper going to press, and if the edi-
tor wishes to be up sides or ahead OF his
contempoI aries, as most editors do, he
must have leading article on the sub
ject in the same issue as that in which
the news appears. There is not mo-
ment to he lost; indeed, there may be
scarcely time to perform the mere me-
chanical operation of writing what has
to be said, not to speak of hunting about
for an idea, an approprite quotation, or
a choice of expression. These must all,
in the language of the American editor,
be hooked up, cleaned, scaled, and fried,
without delay.-Ch0mbers Journal.