The Opelousas courier., 1883-02-10
Newspaper Men.
Cencordia Sentinel.

Iehthftsii NtiItifiTi.
1t Monld seem that it is almost useless
for newspaper men to apply when pub
lie offices are being distributed. We
have been reminded OF this on more
than d occasion ourselves, and now
Gen. Leon J~astremski, of the Baton
Rouge Capitoliau Advocate, has bad
the fact impressed upon his mind. The
General was a candidate for the yacan-
cy in the office of the Sixth Compression
al District of our State, accustomed by
the death of Mr.. Heron, aud at one
time it looked as if he were in "a fair
way of succeeding to it, but then man
proposes and God (and the people ID
case of political o~ffice) disposes. A
strong fight was made upon him, and
he very gracefully withdrew from the
contest, thus saving himself, doubtless,
from being incontinently slaughtered.
The public is slow to appreciate the
services of newspaper men, and slower
still to reward them when the opportu-
nifty offers. Editors are p~ack-horses,
the drudges of the community, who are
expected TO puff up this man, that man,
and the other man who wants office ;
they are expected to chronicle all the
marriages, births and deaths of the
community, and say a good word,
" where ne'er a good word was said be-
fore; y puff all the charity balls; notice
this mans business gratis, because he is
struggling to get along, and speak in
the most Mandatory terms of that young
man because he is the son of the
wealthiest man in the town !; then they
are expected to exeoriate this man be-
cause he has given the community Of
Tense, and he is to go forn the other
man for some other reason. In fact he
is called upon to do all the dirty work.
as well as all the free work that is to
be done, and if he complains he is told
that another paper will be started on
him, and the little pittance he receives
be taken from him. No other man in
the community is called upon to do or
does do as much of the gratis business
as the editor.
Let the editor, however, apply for
some of the "loaves and fishes" when
the grand distribution is going on, and
he soon finds that there are MANY of
those who have done much less for the
community than he, who have prefer
ence over him. The very mems whom
ne assisted in dragging from obscurity
and placed upon the highest pinnacle
OF local fame, will be the first to turn
upon him and cry him down. They
turn to be the basest ingrates and smite
the helping hand so cheerfully given
when they aspired to place and position.
They suddenly forget that the editor
was ever friendly to them, and that they
may need his services again.
A radical change is needed in the
conduct and management of newspa-
pers. Business should enter into their
avery detail and whatever finds place
p their columns should be charged for.
the pay exacted, where individuals
corporations are 10 any manner ben
BY such publication. In this
way, d eWspapers could be made self
sustaining, and their editors would be
hove ofhce-seeking to enable them I'd
IKE out the paltry profits of their Jour
lalistIc Iabors. The editors could then
y independent, and sit down and wait
or the office to seek them.
WANrED.-A good hand to work on
small farm near town. Apply at this
FFBfQ H&#ZA