The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-25
THE COUNTRY EDITOR.
HIS INFLUENCE STRONG AND CON-
SLANT FOR HIS TOWNS GOOD.

A Man Whose Mind Is Never at Rest,
Whose Work Is Never Done - Labor
That Makes an Editor Old Before His
Time-His Financial Difficulties.
Who can adequately describe the labor Of
the country editor who is devoted to his pro-
feSioni His work is never done. His mind
Is never at rest He is constantly on the alert
for material for his paper He wears his
nerves on the surface, sensitive to every move
about him. He works where other people
play, and the luxury of absolute rest, with
freedom from worry, is, alas! all too rarely
experienced by him. Do you think it an easy
matter to collect seven or eight columns OF
local news and to put it in readable shape
within weck' Do you realize that for almost
every one OF the hundreds Of different state
ments Of facts the editor has had to walk a
considerable distance and to make personal
inquiry Do you realize that the matter thus
laborously collected, bit by bit, when written
out, makes more lines in type than tho SER
mons OF any minister in the community Do
you realize that the editors writings would
make score or more OF good sized volumes
every yearl
pul al tiV WI n hiiu' hes',AADSNA
is the least of the labors OF the average coun-
try editor, How easily, how joyfuly would
he do all this if it were all he had to dol All,
friends, the real work, the real anxiety of the
country editor are to the world an unwritten
book, but TO him an ever present, ever tortur-
ing actually Some parts of this hidden
work we cannot willingly write about, for
they are too painful; but let us glance at
some of the things referred TO- The country
editor has to manage his business he So
licits advertisements, and spends hours in tho
work of convincing men against their wills
that it is to their interest to keep their names
and wares before the public; he spends days
and days talking with mon 10 induce them to
become subscribers and slowly builds up n
list of names for his paper; he doubles this
work when it comes to collecting the money
for his advertisements and his subscriptions
tramping miles and miles and wasting many
precious hours trying to get hold of few
dollars with which to meet obligations that
are pressing him, wolf like and raCking his
mind with perplexity and fear. That is the
work which makes the country editor old be-
fore his time, that oftentimes puts him in a
humiliating attitude before business men and
fills his heart with the bitterness of despair.
HIS HELPFUL INFLUENCE.
And the influence of the country editor
who can estimate it, 1t is the greatest force
in any community. The work of all the min
isters cannot equal the inhunce Of the country
editor. The spoken word will never equal
the written one in effectiveness and perina-
ncnt value; and all the congregations in
town cannot equal, in number, the auditors
of the editor. He speaks weekly to thou
sands of people where the ministers talk to
hundrsls We bring the ministers into this
discussion, not to beittle their work, but to
make IA comparison that will be generally
understood.
The influence of the country editor i, nearly
always helpful; good newspaper will do
more for a town than any other one influence.
l. there hospital to bo built The editor
presents the necessity for it, l,ndling i'll every
mind desire to see the institution eststb-
lishel, points out the way for accomplishing
the object desired and helps along every
scheme for furthering the cause Are selfish
men planning to line their pockets with
scheme that will injure instead of benefit the
tOwni The editor exposes the plot and
awakens the opposition OF the people. Is
there fair III progress for the benefit OF
church or q town ibrarya The editor booms
tt, gets everybody interested and in sympathy
with the matter and turns the golden tide in
the proper direction. He helps along the
local charities and all worthy Institutions; he
keeps the people informed about each other
and alive to the interests Of their town; his
influence il strong, constant and for the well
being of his town.. II. Mabbett in North
Adams {Mass.) Express.