Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-09-04
THE COUNTRY EDITOR.
II He Is the Right Kind of a Man He.
can do Well Anywhere.

can 90 wei AnyWneTe.
"What some of your funny men on
metropolitan newspapers would do
without the country editor to crack
II joke on occasionally, when their
think-tanks have run dry. do not
know" said the proprietor, editor,
dramatic critic, news reporter, bust
ness manager, foreman OF the com
posing room of a thriving weekly
sheet published in Il town adjoining
New York, willie he was on visit to
the city the other day, to a New
York Tribune writer. "When we are
thinking OF the famous city newspa-
pers and the vast influence they ex-
ert, we are apt to underestimate the
Important place occupied by the
country newspapers. More people
read them than you would suppose.
Right here in your city have seen
busy men, men of affairs, leading
politicians, millionaire merchants
and railway magnates receive their
mail in the busiest hours of the dav,
and stop two or three minutes to.
pick out, unfold and glance over the
columns OF the little newspapers pub
lished in their native towns. Every
name there is familiar to them. Every
thing that goes on in those little ham
let's interests them. Then the rush
of business sweeps along again and
the little paper is thrust into an IN
side pocket to be read from headline
to the last advertisement at the
first half hour of leisure.
'"Then the residents OF the country
towns want their local papers for
other reasons. 1t is true that MANY
a country editor fills his sheet with
such items as: Postmaster Stickem
has shaved off his goatee, and Won
ders that his paper is despised and
neglected, when all the time several
thousand people would be glad to see
something really valuable from his
pen. But il man with brains takes
hold of it his personality is soon felt,
recognized. and welcomed. The field
does not seem, on the surface, to be
an inviting one, and for that reason
many n bright young newspaper
man is swallowed up, unknown. in
the big cities, who might be shin
ing light in a smaller community.
Naturally when an ambitious young
fellow leaves college to enter the
ranks ofnewspaper workers he seeks.
a connection with one OF the mighty
papers of the land. He seels the pow
err within him which will speedily set
all wrongs right and opel' the eyes
of all men to their best interests. 1t
does not take long to get all this
knocked out of him, and unless he
possesses unusual ability, not only
above, but far above the average,
he soon acquires the habit OF regard
ing newspaper work as a mere means
of earning so many dollars week.
"He sees that he is doomed to Oh
security in the city; that he is q mere
part of the machine. He helps to
turn out nm admirable paper, it is
true, but no credit comes to him
from it. So he frets OF he submits.
If he trets, there is hope for him in
the country. Let him take hold in a
town OF 5000 people, say. If he has
capital to start a paper Tor himself,
SO much the better. If not, let him
do some good work on the paper al
ready established there and it will be
quickly recognized. Let him make
acquaintance with discretion, 1t
will not be necessary for him to hang
around the liquor stores discussing
with every idier about the tariff.
When he is able to make close esti--
mate of what it will cost him to es-
tablish II paper, and con argue his
case in u convincing way, let him ap-
proach some man with money or
who can control money. and who can
he inspired with confidence in the
would-be EDITORS plans. fyrt ss<
"Then when he is started, let him
take pains to find out what the peo-
pie are thinking and talking about
and beat that other fellow who is
covering the same field for some city
daily. People in the country have
HINuo JuSU uS We'll US tAOSc hVuS liz
the city, and the live breezy, inewsy
country Journals exceed In circula-
ton the dull ones, just as they do in
tn city. 1t a man has individuality
here he can let it run. His job office
in many instances pays him better
than his paper, any way, and he can
live in comparative affluence, with
tho c0uaciO,Ianesa nj hoinU hia own
over his own signature just what his
ideas are on all current topics.
There's good deal in that, too, for
most Americans. ro.
"Many and many q country news
paper gives cause for wonder why
; people ever read it and why anybody
wants to publish it. But offer to
buy out it's editor and you will be
fhnndarsf ruck Mt tho nrico he will re-