The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-09-19

| A Man Whose Mind is Never at Rest,
Whose Work is NeEer Done...Laher
That Makes an Editor Old Before His
Time...His Financial Difficulties.
charleston World
Who can adequately describe the labor
of the country editor who is devoted to his
profession? 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. aud the luxury OF a6so,
! lutte rest with freedom from worry, IS, alas
| all too rarely experienced by him. Do you
you think it an easy matter to collect seven
or eight columns of local news and to put
it in readible shape within week? Do
| YOU realize that for almost every one Of the
hundreds Of different statements OF facts
the editor has had to walk considerable
| distance and to make personal inquiry
Do YOU realize that the matter thus labor
iously collected, bit by bit, when written
out, MAKES more lines in type that the ser
mons of any minister in the community !
Do you realize that the editors writings
would make o score or more of good sized
volumns every year?
But all the work TINS imperfectly de-
scribed is the least Of the labors
of the average country editor: How
easily, how joyfully would he do all this If
it were all he had to do! All, friends, the
real work, the real anxiety of the country
editor are to the world an unwritten book.
out 20 him e. "7er present, ever torturng
actually. Some parts OF this hidden work
we caauot willingly write about, for they
are TOO painful; but let Us glance at some
OF the things referred to. The country
editor has 10 manage ms business. He So
lic;ts advertisements, and spends hours IN
the work OF convincing lneE against their
wills that it is to their interest to keep Their
names and wares before the pubic; he
spends days aad days talking with men
to induce them to become subscribers, and
slowly builds up q list OF names for his pa
per: be doubles this worl, when it comes to
collecting the money for his advertise
ments and his subscriptions, tramping
miles ana miles and wasting many precious
loIrs irving to get hold of a few dollars
with which to meet obligations that are
pressing him, wolf like and rackln2 his
mind with perplexity and fear. That is
| the work which makes the country editor
old before his time, that oftentimes puts
him in huniliatins attitude before busl-
ness men and I'll his heart with bitterness
Of despair.
Els EEIFEUL 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
ministers cannot equal the influence Of the
country editor. The spoken word will new
er equal the written onein effectiveness and
permanent value; and all the congregations
in town cannot equal IN number the aud
itors of the editor. He speaks weekly to
thousands of people where the ministers
talk to hundreds. We bring the ministers
Into this discussion, not to belittle their
work, but to make g comparison that will
be generally understood.
The influence Of the country editor is
nearly always helpful; a good newspaper
will do more for town than any other one
Influence. Is there hospital to be built ?
The editor presents the necessity for it,
kindling in every mind desire to see the
institution established, points out the way
for accomplishing the object desired, and
helps along every scheme for furtherlng the
cause. Are selfish men planning to line
their pockets with scheme that will injure
instead Of benefit the town? The editor e1-
poses the plot and awakens the opposition
of the people. Is therea fair in progress
| for the benefit of church or town library !?
The editor booms it, gets everybody inter
ested and in sympathy with the matter and
turns the golden tide in the proper direc-
ton. He helps along the local charities
and all worthy institutions; he keeps the
people informed about each other and alive
| to the interest of their town; his influence
is strong constant for the well being of his
town.