Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-07-04
Thursday, July 4, 1889.

sees and what first thoughts are suggested
The trouble comes from trying to tell what
he dom tsee and to utter thoughts not hisovn.
: We are speaking of the work of the
editor upon the theory that it is sonnet hing
more than gathering of facts, credible and
incredible clean and unclean, to be dished
out just as they are raked in
There is something needed besides tolling
the grist. 1t needs to 60 through the sepa-
rator, sorted, cleaned, dressed and then,
more important than all else, it is necessary
that the editor should call attention to i'm
portant matters and make such Observa-
tiOns and draw such conclusions as to him
seems inst and profitable for the entertain
ment and instruction of his readers.
The editor should never lose sight of the
fact that he should be entertaining in order
to be instructive. Men in active life have
enough to fret and worry and irritate them.
A good thing, well said in a few words
spiced with wit and wisdom, will make a
reader feel better all day at his work and
rest easier at night. No man enjoys being
scared out of his boots by bloOd-curdling
headlines at every turn. We have recently
seen it remarked by English journals upon
the reckless levity and grim hurnor ex-
hibited by American newspapers, as in
|
"Jerked to Jesus Better this than the
crucifxiOn of the reader. Anything but a
weary mOnotony of either exaggeratiOn or
platitudes. Some carry their iconoclasm
too far and shock some sensitive nerves
with their apparent irreverence, but the
effect after all is good There is nothing
more deserving of rude rebuke than this
maudlin sympathy expressed in bouquets
and ice cream for brutal criminals and slOb-
bering over their repentance and happiness
of mind and peace of spirit. We have too
much respect for heaven to thinksthat all
monsters that have been hung have gone
there. This is only an instance and illus
tration of what we think is an EDITORS
proper business as a responsible leader and
teacher of the people He is not to cater to
every vicious and morbid taste When men
| get off wrong they are secretly conscious of
it and do not respect one for telling them
they are all right as they do for good
stinging Iebuke.
The model editor is one of those who
ALLURE to brighter worlds and leads the way"
| If the leader takes the valley road al
ways he will bring up in the deep sea at
last. The very highest duty is often rough
and dusty and beset with thorns and
prickly pears but he must be prepared to
climb and plunge, if need be, and bear his
scratches with patience, but with his goal
in view and compass in hand, ever press
forward and the brave and good will follow.
| Above all, the editor must not believe all
the newsgatherers bring in, nor publish all
they contribute for, carried away by a dis
tOrted conception of their professional
duty and desire to crafty craving appe-
| tite for the horrible and sensational, they
sometimes appear to be moral scavengers
seeking what may be devOured and de-
vouring only what they seek. Men gen
orally find what they are looking for, and
| if they look for the vile and monstrous,
there is plenty in the world and its haunts
and breeding places are pretty well known.
But so, too, there is plenty of the good the
pure the noble and admirable, if searched
| for with diligence Mems moral and men
tai natures as much as their physical are
formed much by what they feed on. A
congressman once told Greeley when re-
mOnstrating with him for being drunk so
much, that he could not properly represent
his constituents in any other condition.
We have higher conception of an editors
duty than to hold that he must publish all
that comes in the shape of news, or pander
to the perverted taste of the public. Things
| fit only for the sewer should 90 there and
! stay there, and not be allowed to spread
contagion far and wide. But every closet
is ransacked for skeletons; every moral cess
pool is uncovered and raked and all the
polluting contents brought under the pub
lie eye and nostils. What will people
become, to say nothing of what they are that
relishes such diet as much of our daily
| budget of average newsgatherings? Pope
has said, with as much truth as poetry, that
Vice is a monster of such hideous mien
That to be hated needs but to be SEEN
But seen too oft, familiar with his face,
We fret endure. then pity. then embrace"
No one can doubt that there are many
foul embraces from keeping so much vice
in sight continually, and when editors get
together they ought to kick, kick hard
and high and strong against so much crime
and scandal gathered by the Associated
Press news agents. With such clay no
amount of the best quality of straw will
turn out good, clean, serviceable brick.
Every editor should be an optimist.
This does not mean that in his office of
prophet he should always prophesy smooth
things, to fatter and delude his readers.
His first duty is to be an honest prophet
and warn of danger when he sees it ap-
preaching But even clouds have their sill
yer lining and when blacklist are some
times "big with blessings" Bad men are
not altogether bad. Calamities have
their compensation and every social and
political disorder has it's antidOte.
Some hold it as an invariable principle
never to speak well of an opponent, of a
rival candidate for popular favor, in bust
ness, politics. religion, or anything else.
This is poor policy as well as poor princi-
pie Something is pardOned to the heat OF
controversy, but there is an underlying
sense in all men of allowing fair play. Men
who round every sentence with an oath
are not any more credible or convincing
therefor. So the editor who is abusive in
speech on the least prOvOcatiOn, comes to be
regarded as common scold. He lowers
himself and loses influence with the fair
minded, intelligent reader Straw is bet
ter than quick lime to mingle with clay in
making brick.
True, it is the EDITORS business to write
for print, but some of his best work is in
throwing into his own waste basket much
that he writes at the suggestion of envy,
jealousy or passion. An editor, like other
mortals, may get mad in his private capac-
ity, but he should never show it in his |
writings. Madness is one stage of insanity, !
like drunkenness. Keep cool and be mas
ter of the situation i show of anger is a |
confession ofweakness and exhaustion, fatal |
to success as an editor
Not to overtax your patience, we will |
speak of only one thing more. The posi-
ton of an editor is one of responsibility.
This may not always be felt or acknowl-
- =. Al. IN ~,