Wichita eagle., 1886-10-30
sSMiilaw-
@ai1v eagle
THE COUNTRY EDITOR,

HIS INFLUENCE STRONG AND CON-
STANT FOR HIS TOWNS GOOD.
a Ran Whose MiAd Is Never ct Rest
Whose Work Is Never Done - Labor
That Makes an Editor Old Before His
Time-Hss Financial Difficulties.
Who can adequately describe the labor of
the country editor who is devoted to his pro-
fessiona His work is never done His mind
Is never ut rest. He is constantly on the alert
fer material for his paper. 70 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, alasl all too rarely
experienced by him. Do you think it al easy
matter to collect seven or eight columns oil
local news and to put it in readable shape
within week! 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 mako personal
inuuiryl Do you realize that the matter thus
laboriously collected, bit by bit, when written
out. makes moro lines in type than the ser
mons Of any minister in the community! Do
YOU realize that the editors writings would
make a score or moro of good sized volumes
every yearf
But all the work thus imperfectly described
is the least Of the labors of the average coun-
try editor. How easily, how joyfully would
he do al this il It were all he had to co. All,
friends, the reel 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. Somo 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 the
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 men to induce them to
become subscribers and slowly builds up q
list Of names for his paper; he doubles this
work when Il comes TO collecting the money
for his advertisements and his subscriptions,
tranping miles and miles and wasting many
precious hours trying to get hold OF few
dollars with which to meet obligations that
ere pressing hi.n, wolf like, and racling his
mind with pcrplexity and fear. That is the
work which makes the country editor old be-
fore his time, that oftentimes puts him in a
hunliiiating attitude before business men and
fills his heart with the bitterness of Gespair.
HIS HELPFUL INFLUENCE.
And the influence Of the country editor
who can estimate itl 1t is the greatest force
in any community. The work of oil the min
listers cannot equal the in1unce Of the country
editor. The spoken WORD viii never equal
the written one in effectiveness and perIna-
nen5 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
hundreds We bring the ministers into this
discussion, not to belittlo their work, bat to
mako q comparison shat viii be generally
understood.
The influence OF the country editor is nearly
always helpful: a good newspaper VIII 90
moro fer q town than any other one influence.
Is there hospital TO be built' The editor
presents tho necessity for it, kindling in every
mind desire to SEQ tho institution ostab-
lished. points ont tho way for accomplishing
the object desired and helss along overy
scheme for furthering tho cause. Are selfish
men planning 20 Gna their pockets with a
scheme that viii nju-e instead Of benefit the
town. The editor exposes tie plot and
awazens the opposition Of the people Is
there fair in progress for the benefit OF q
church or q town library? Tho editor booms
it, 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 peoplo informed about each other
and alive to the interests OF their town; his
influence is strong, constant and for the well
being Of his town.. H. Mabhett in North
Adams tMass.) Express.