Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-01-24

OF The Main: Press Association
Friday Ail.rroen
II Representatives Ha'-Ess,y ~
Bay ihsnpsau d Richmond.
And tbs POEM By E.iioe c. nei,che.
a. Portland.

IN eppfectaure audience 1t the uteYar,
exercises Of the afternoon. A plessin,
feature Of the occasion was some aa,
music BY the Capital qssrtstse. Pred
dent Pictard presided. snd intro
daced - tn, esssyist Mr.. Rs,
Thompson the acc rmpiIshei editor Of IN.
Richmond Bee. The auiience expected ,
good thing from HE pen which hes nsye,
been knsvn to pun In dull lines and the,
we're not disappointed His esssy vas /,
model one; tsrse and vigorous in express
sion, original and foscefaI in thought. 4
will take rsrk - one Of the finest tSinsu IN
this line with which the association bs,
ever been favored. The following 10 The
full text Of it:
THE COUNTRY EDITOR
lsis Laboss and Rewards.
sr Raj THOMPSON.
Ia former times Chinese of.eisl peve,
yentuYed to deliver an unveIccme ms,sao.
10 the Emperor until he had provided him.
self with CONN. II would have been we'll
perhaps, had exercised the sams pruden,
foresight In my present extremity. Though
not called upon to acquaint you With bad
news, ! feel that what an about TO saw Il
bsd enough TO warrant killing criticism, II
least. However. m Apology 1t this late
hour 10 In poor taste. Like 4 cuIrri,
brought to justice IL becomes me to sYust
the ciemency OF the court, hoping for 4
patient hearing and mercifui sentence.
Ipurposs to speak Of "rhe Country Ed.
itor; His Lsbors and Rewards" / sn
sssre that the subject may seem INSPIRE
pirate. II implies the carry ing Of cosis to
Newcastle. II 10 ~ II were improving
the pfesent opportunity to give the old time
me mbefs Of this organic alton an introduc-
lien to themselves. Such effort on my
part would tie unseason able and nucsIIed
for. Every editor 10 not only supposed 70
know himself but to make himself kno~n,
more or lees favorzbly to others In die
ranks Of public servants and instructors
he 10 . marked man. He csnno,
avoid publicity IL be would, and would no.
IL he could. No matter how great may be
his natural modesty. his st.em;t 10 enIisht-
en- mankind forb;ds his hidiag his light
uuder bushel. Thus by mere force Of
circumstances he i, made 3 cons picuous
figure in society. Ia rural communities he
is more than that. AZ faithful psrishionsrs
pride themselves on the possession Of a
beloved pastor, 90 do subscribers TO
country newspaper look upon its editor with
4 certain sense Of ownership. Unless he is
careful to remind them that slavery 10 aboi-
ished he will in lime come TO be regarded
As a part and parcel Of the towns property.
Like the IRE engine he will he worked in AZ
emergency for all he il worth. II he
fails to pour forth on the slightest provocA
lion people will wonder what tue matter il
With him. His readers. as q ruis. think they
understand bin better than he under.sasds
himself. don't know but they Dc. Ny
uncertainty 10 due to The fact that most eli =
tors Of my acquaintance appear to lack
self consciJu,nv do not mean that theY
are ignorant OF their existence, but | am
quite sure that many OF the brethren fail
10 realize their capabilities. Like the beasts
of the field they DO rot know their strength.
Strong in tho possession of ansuspec ell
p)vtr trey are led By designing
men. goaded by the merciess sud
robbed by the mean. say this advissd'y.
Does it not frs qrenily happen that the ron
ductor OF newspaper IS beauiled in,o
advocating measures which bis better jaia
ment tells him are inpracticsbie? Is he
not sometimes driven 10 the verge of des
perstion by the ceaseless opportunities of
Individuals who require of him more than
he can possibly perform? Is hs not con-
sian,iy cosxed into giving valuable spsc, to
peuurious morials who are unable to appre-
ciste his generosity? DO nat hesitate 10
say that no experienced publisher will
answer these questions in the negative.
This state of affairs, however. is perhaps
largely due to the good -nstured Indifference
which 10 80 Characteristic Of the craft An
Acquaintance with the profession will con
vince an observer that its members differ
essentially from men Engaged in oiher pur-
suits. You may say of tue frsternlty
Sbylotk said IF the Jews. "If you prick
ia do we not bleed? If you tickle US do we
OF lsugh?' and answer, Weil-hardly.
| am convinced that a baptism In printers
ink goes far toward rendering a mortal
invulnerable. sharp pen thrusts, which set
the sversge man prsncing like horse nader
the spur, occasion little annoyance 70 the
veteran editor, while TO tickle him, or make
him laugh at anything save a joke OF his
own creation, is we'll nigh hopeless task,
~ macy disappointed humorist can testify.
1t has been said that "the poet |. born,
not made" With equal truth j, may be
affirmed that the editor Is both born and
msie-born to good fortune and made hap
py By the bearing of burdens which would
break the hack nf any creature save csru-
II or a newspaper man Hi, good fortune.
for the greater part. consists in constant
occupation. So woBderfully is be favored
Ia this respect that, like the lamentsd AZ
sssiz he has no time to make money
The years which mos. men devote to accu-
mulating wealth are employed BY the coun-
try editor in making Taper which shall
attract subscribers. Outsiders may
imagine that the two pursuits amount to the
same Thing. but he who is sin it, knoss
better. A dollar isa bird in the hand; n
subscriber bird in the bush. and of no
earthly value until he is piucked. The
rditor Is aware Of this. yet The knowledge
does not lessen his sc,iyiiy in securing
debtors. His cesseless Industry generally
results in a healthy circulation which
makes his heart beat every tine he ihiaks
Of il. As the proud possessor of reason
ably long subscription LET, he is able TO
count noses where other men count dollars.
Who shalt gay which occupation is most
enjoyable or profitable Noses are OF more
value than dollars, are they not? Well, then
IL the editor has no time to make money
it follows, rs matter of course. that he
has no time 10 regret the circumstances.
Other matters claim his atssntion. The
ne~epsper field is no lace for laborer
who is hslved IN inclination or capacity
He who would cultivate IL successfully must
be out. using sharp eyesisht everrwhere,
looking deep down through the cunuirg
vati,ties Of the great worid-pageaos before
him He muxt spp the men, the women,
the children. the neighborhocd. The nation
dr.mst q tn emselve. in whssis called soci-
ETY.. And II must be no mere behoi6ing
of surfaces. Gres, Instincts must h.
seen overlapping the submits OF
pride or grcveling smeng the low
est Vice. Why. newspaper msa
Of experience can scarcely cross street
Without meeting some revelstion that Is
complete chsp'er Of life. How many OF
our best, mos, efiicient jour aalis,s have
been trained by their dsily tAsks, and oy
the human wants aud woes that have fur-
nished employ mens for their peas; street
children; sorrows Of the family; little sor-
rows OF tie saloon; wrecks Of fortune AL
the more appalling wrecks OF vics-these
a'e the newspaper mans professors. anc
they do their teaching well. Through them
he i. honored with . dagree much higher
than some of the degrees We more fire.
qaeutiy hear Of, and less frequently
rssreet
A msn who hiss graduated ST this school
Possesses incalc liable power for scoa or
for evil. How necessary IL is, then. that
he should realize the importance OF every
word. lire ard paragraph that he writes.
why do people care so much about VIA