The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-15

when this was DONE Horace Greeley, Ray
mond or a Bennett was lost to the world Hnd
they not scorned the opportunities open at
every hand, they might have tested their
powers conclusively, and though they failed,
have at least saved themselves lifelong regrets
for fancied mieht-have- been. The despised
country newspaper affords quite as good
chance for display of ability as that offered by
the metropolitan sheet if not altogether better.
more varied talent in fact is required of the
country editor than of bis brother in the
city. He must be an all-round man, able 20
or strayed" advertisement TO an editorial en-
European politics; while he of the city is con
fined to a single department and is there uii-
der authority and restricted, perhaps, in TIE
utterance of his true sentiments. It follows,
Of course, that all do not succeed who try
their wings in this direction, but he who fails
proves that the newspaper calling Is not for
HIM, since If he do not win IN the narrower
field he cannot in the other. On the other
hand, if his ability is of the right sort his OPP
portunities are great Though he must write
advertisements and be ready to discuss crops
and cattle and the road law, and be able to
steer clear of the abyss that lies between the
owners Of sheep and the owners of dogs, and
the innumerable chasms that wreck the un-
wary in local politics, he can soothe his soul
by soaring to the empyrean on the pinions
of philosophy or verse. Whatever lis worth
printing in city daily is equally good in
village weekly. Though the audience be smaller
appreciation will not be lacking. Above ali,
on the other hand, the country editor has the
advantage of individual recognition and thu
feeling Of responsibility arising from the fact
that heis known by his paper and its utterances.
This privilege is never fully realized, perhaps,
until, with the idea of lettering his situation,
he enters the service of a metropolitan journal
and finds that his identity is lost. He may
write good article, one that attracts atten-
ton aud is copied. far and wide, but not half
a dozen people, perhaps, not his immediate
associates viii have any knowledge of the
authorship. He may write such articles ev-
cry day for year and he will be known at
the end to a limited circle of workers like
himself; of public recognition he will have
little or none. One writer in a hundred on
the daily press becomes personally known,
but the ninety nine SO completely merged
in the journals for which they labor that in
dividually they are but shadows to the out
side world. This is inevitable, no doubt, but
is none the less depressing to ambitious
youth. The superiority of the country press
in this respect is amusingly illustrated by tho
confession almost any middle-a aged editor in
the daily grind can be induced to make, thas
his ideal of professional bliss is to be owner
and manager Of weekly in country town,
and this not SO much for the increased ease
as for the recognition it affords. But it is not
the elderly, transplanted editor who is te
shine in that field and to raise the standard;
it is the young man, and he must "grow up
with his paper. The number of bright young
men who have recently attached themselves
to the country press of Indiana shows that as
. class they are awakening to their oppor-
tunities.