The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-06-05

uutics oI cOuutry cuitor, urct W say thc ichst
peculiar. speak OF country editors with the
supposition that with the exception OF few
representatives, am talking 70 country edit
ors. With the duties Of daily press represen
tatives am unfamiliar. but am told that theii
opinions are largely purchased, and thcii
great perplexIty Is the effort to find good re-
sponsible purchasers. ] can not verify this
It is not 30 with the country editor; he treats
or rather would treat an attempt TO subsidize
with scorn. He poses as moral teacher and
mind moulder, and denounces hypocrisy and
venality with q vehemence worthy OF his
cause. His perplexities are OF q different ma
ture, aud the king OF his mental terrors is usu'
ally how to make his ends meet There are
myriades Of other perplexities, but they are
held in strict subordination to this one. A
farmer once said that one of his occupation
must be man, house, fence and dog. A coun-
try editor must be all this, with his satanic
majesty thrown in. He must be sufficiently
versatile TO meet emergencies of every nature
coming as they often do In rapid succession.
He must snake up" In way to keep Royal
Baking Powder, and Parsons 'Purgative Pills
ads In their contract position, without elicit
ing significant howl. from home advertisers.
He must notice the arrival of new goods Of a
merchant In manner that will not arouse
the envy of his neighboring rival. The transi.
ton Of spring poetry, from the table to the
waste basket. must be accompanied by sugar
coated explanation, which will give JOY rather
than offense to the verdant author. In chrop'
telling the details of marriage, the ceremony
OF which was, perhaps, hastily performed by q
magistrate, he will call down the concentrated
nkA I'D
both the effervescing parties, II he neglect oil
dares to refuse 10 give the pedigree Of the
pimpled, bow-legged groom. or say unquali
fiedly, that his betrothed gum.chewer Is the &c
complished progeny OF Mr.. $50 and So" and
the Don ton OF the borough. He will find
himself destitute OF the substantial financial
support Of the place, II he neglect to tiatter
and pun the self constituted representative
mon, whose helmets are cheek, who depend
upon their memories for wit and their corpor.
osity for their dignity. He must defend his
town and its people against unfavorablc press
comments Of neighboring newspapers, how.
ever truthful the charges may be, and run the
risk OF precipitating newspaper scrap In
which he might be the scrapee. He must
adopt course In ali matters which will please
the motely tastes and whims OF his readers,
and give offense TO none. He must run the
precarious gauntlet OF writing obituaries for
all classes OF people. from celebrities and
bcnefactors down to thieves and tramps, or
lower yet. business men who daub' their sta
tionery with rubber stamp. He must so
word his illusions as to neither dispiease the
mourning friends, nor the fellows who rejoice
that the peculatiTg poltroon has croaked. In
short he must scratch his addled noodle for
methods to interest all his readers, some OF
whom are too stupid TO appreciate. some too
conceited to be benefited. and some too In.
different to read more than the head lines.
To do all this, one has many obstacles to
overcome, and nothing tends to help him along
through the vicissitudes OF his journalistic
Greer more than q meeting of this kind,
where he may reap the benefits Of another's
experience. Though our experience does not
run In rut, II is 30 similar that the trials and
emergencies Of any one could not fail of ap.
probation throughout the whole craft. Some
are more ingenious, and apt in perception than
others. and consequently encounter fewer
difficulties, and OF these the more unfortunate
ones can learn. Again the routine work OF
the newspaper man Is monotonous, and IL not
hired done, f. extremely irksome. Close and
constant application soon makes one weary,
nervous and irritable. His appetite lets go its
hold, he becomes dyspeptic, and grows sour.
morose and wicked. No one can do himself
justice under such circumstances, for such a
physical condition affects the mind and taints
every production OF the pen. At such times q
short respite from his duties, forgetting even
the appearance of his solitary den, enjoying
the meanwhile such season OF pleasure as we
are now bent upon, braces up his spirits, in
fuses new life, and he resumes his duties with
renewed energy, his body invigorated by the
recreation, and his ideas whetted by the dis
cussions he has heard. 1t is hoped and conf
IDENTIFY expected that other good results will
grow. out OF this meeting. The necessary
measures TO produce these results, are the
topics for discussion. and no attempt will be
made by me to even enumerate them. Suffice
1t to say wo should deliberate uponall subjects
with common feeling. and u common inter
est. adopting such measures as are believed to
be for the best interests of this association,
and labor streruously 10 preserve and perpet-
uate them. All political and religious issues
must be set aside for the time, and only our
interests as co-workers In common cause
considered. We all conocde the administra-
ton to be solely In charge Of Grover Cleve-
land, and not Blaine or Hendricks, but our
Democratic friends will guarantee US equal
rights with them under 1t, even though they
are obliged to invoke the aid OF the irrepres-
sIble and omnipoteut Ignatius to do II. In Or
der to keep apace with every industry and
profession about US, we should diligently en-
deavor to promote the standard OF our work.
To an extent seldom realized, tho welfare and
destiny. OF not only the municipalities and
subdivisions OF our commonwealth, but tho
commonwealth itself, is in the hands OF this
fraternity. To the newspapers Is due unac-
corded credit for the recognized greatness Of
Minnesota. But the acme OF her importance
is not yet reached. Her possibilities are limit
less. and ours IL the mission OF the develop
ment OF these possibilities. Southwest Min
nesota, which We have ample cause to be
proud TO represent, is particularly cause OF
our espousal. This territory stands upon tho
broad and substantial foundation of superior
agricultural prospects. and presents pleasing
contrasts with other localities. where the mon
otony of choice farming land is so successful
ly broken. It's soil 10 rich, its yield abundant
and Its topography unexcelled. This territory
Is able to furnish butter and cheese for all the
inhabitants OF Minnesota and Dakota, with
the gold medals of the Worlds Exposition at
tached. Il can also furnish the beef and NUT
ton for tho same territory, and raise blue grass
In SUFFICIENT quantities to feed all the herds of