Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-02-12
Meteorological Report.
FEB. II. lss2 II ?. ~

sissas sossoS. ). Nv Z snow, snow.
work, few are chosen. Next to the search
for the Pisfian fount, most Of as have d.
ciGed the search for > firs,-elsss nswsps pe
man to be sbolt the most difficult. They
are rare gems and when found are treasured
~ith the mort jealous care. Maine hs.
produced quite number OF them, aside
from those nov lsboring within lie borders.
We note their successes in esher fields with
sincere pride, snd with profoundei
depreciation than ever before Of the
fact that the bsst crop of the Pine Tree
State hiss always been men and women.
mosquito that frequently buzzss about
the ssnctum, ami causes the editor much
annoy snce, ,is the individual who thinks that
no Newspaper man is doing his full duty
unless he is engsged in nombsrding some
body or something. He csn see no possible
use for him aside from fighting purposes
The pursuits Of peace have no place IN thi.
mans conception Of what constitutes true
Journalism. He looks upon the editor as &
sort Of social assassin with whose assist-
ance he may sweep his opponents from the
face Of the earth. His code of war is some
what aboriginal. for not only does ne insis,
that the editor shalI kill bis victim, but also
that be shall scalp him as we'll. All this
~ofk is to be done without remuneration.
Fer no cause, not even mercensry this man
expects the editor to disgust his patrons,
waste his space, and vastly enlarge the cir
Gle Of his enemies. Now any editor who
will make this kind of q cats paw Of him
self deserves all the bli.ters he will get in
pulling other peoples chestnHts out Of the
tlrs. Editors are proyeI bisly philanthropic
but this is no reason why they should enter
upon career Of self snnihils,ion at the
behest of anyone, Il is for them, and for
them slone, in dealing with the social lie
about them, 10 decide what their papers
shall say, or what they shsll not say, upon
any and every topic.
There are lots Of people whose hearts
bleed in An anonymous way. The open eff
fusion Of this blood might result in disa-
ereesble personal experiences, or even in
| financial less, and rare indeed does this
kind Of = heart bleed to that extent. Such
people are perfectly willing to send the ed
itor forth to do battle upon all occasions.
They assure him that their beet wishes will
go with him, though they do not care to be
known personally in the matter. II he
should die, they would gladly steal forth in
an anonymous way, on SOME dark night to
drop a salt tear upon his grave; 10 beat
their breasts and sigh, in sincerity of soul,
"here lie the ashes of what was once a
man
The devotion Of such people knows no
bounds. In the generous farvor Of their
souls they will gladly furnish tons of ar
munition il the editor will only go to the
front with it They are like Artemss
| Ward who, in the exubersnce of his pstri-
otic zesl. was perfectly willing that all his
| wife's re lsti0ns should be sent to the war.
| There Is another visitor to the ssnctum
| who appeals at all times 10 our tenderess
sympathies, for whom we have the warm
est regard, but who, nevertheless, frequent
| ly causes as 10 pray for deliversnce from
our friends. and seriously to debate the
| problem of whether or not life is really
worth living. II is the man who brings us
| dry bones and che .tnuts of interest to no
body but himself, rot because even he
| attaches any great importance to them,
| but solely to help "fiil up" Ii never occurs
| 10 this friend that there is. in the evolution
| Of the matter that cor stituies newspaper
any such thing rs natural selection or the
survival Of tue fttest. He looks upon a
| newspaper as = big literary dump cart upon
| whose capscious body the editor shovels
| anything that will pass for reading matter.
| He msgines the scribe working with a
| frantic zeal born of pure desperation. al
| ways masking the closest kind Of connec
| tions on pubicstion day. and always liable
TO send his paper TO his readers short of
measure. Under such circumstances the
| "lll up friend feels it his duty, IS truly
pbilsnfhropic citizen, TO give the editor g
lift. He fakes up two or three solid col
umns Of general cations and carries them
| to the ssnctum. He goes away with the air
If man who has laid up treasures in
| heaven, and is fully persuaded that the
sigh with which the editor received his
| manuscript was the Joyous anthem Of
spirit freed from care.
Now what are we 10 do under such ci,-
cumstAnces? Shall we try to impress upon
our friend thst the hart never painted after
the water brooks as the soul of the editor
| pants, at all times, for real genuine news;
for live matters Of locsl interest, including
personal items? ShIll we impress upou
him that the yesrulng desires of his soul
| are ctrcumserlbed By these considers
tions? IL would be useless. He would
grsvely assure US that bis contIi
| button vas the best of news ia-ss-much as
none Of our patrons had ever read it be-
| fore. Then he goes, leaving the editor in
an sgoDizsd qusndSry whether 20 infiict the
| "fill up" article upon bis readers or ALLEVIATE
his vell-mesning frierd by cohsigniDg it to
the wasie-basket Perhaps he will print it
| trusting 10 the future for immunity from
| further such sfll ctious, and while his COM
| positors are putting it into type be will
gsze ruefully upon the great stacks OF eS
changes encumbering the sancium and
sigh aloud to think tnst, in wilderness OF
intellectual mama, he should be forced to
subsist upon husks.
No self-respec!ing editor viii ever make
| 4 mele Of himself and burrow below the
| surface Of society for the purpose Of uu-
esrth,ng and placing beneath the public
nostfils csrfion that were hest left buried.
Bat while the true lurnslisC will refrain
from work of this slnh, he will not fail TO
deal frankly and feArlessly with those cuc-
rent events, or matters Of history, which
are essentisilg public in their character.
In this category come crimes, sports,
snd all matters. personsl or otherwise.
which, ON the very nature of things, are
0utside the pale Of lsgitimsta privacy. IL
is true ths' some papers recognize no such
bounds. but such are rot the ones that ex-
pect or receive their support from the 6et-
ter elements Of society.
bow fully an editor sh lsld pace reports
of criminal matters before his readers 10 .
much nooted question. Some reformers
even take the ground that reports Of this
character should be ri2idly confined to
brief statement of facts. With an absolute
| suppression Of oil matters of detail. They
sre forever citing Us to foreign examples
which they deem especially worthy o. our
emulation. But in considering this phase
Of newspaper policy the very important
fact must not be lest sight Of, that the
American people are 3 sovereign people.
They are de lHre and de faef0
| the rulers Of the nation. The quesuon
| hich we hare consider then, involves the
wider one Of how far, under a Republican
form Of government it Tonid be safe for
| the public to be kept 10 ignorance OF toe
current events OF the dsy, correct under.
| standing Of which 10 essential 10 the forms-
| ton Of the public sentiment that evolves
and eufoYces the laws Of the land.
There were those Who criticised in for
mes daJs, with exceeding bitterness, the
action of the yyess in placing before the
public. with vivid and living force, the hor
fora Of human slavery. sGch things they
| asserted. should have no place in the co..
| umns Of repussble journsl'. They sere
| ser s.tie nal; they we're not ct reading for
family circles. All /, brethren, there vas
faliscy vhicn today all recognzs. 1t vas
| at family fIesides that the forces grew
which foally crushed out thst gigantic evil
When at length the morsl sense Of the rs
| sion had been aroused, human bondage Was
doomed within It's borders VITA all honor to
| Beechef snd his associates in the palpit; TO
Phillips snd his Co lAborsfs cu the platform,
We still believe that the greatest p3wer in
bringing universal freedom to our land.
vss An pnRsmmeled PRESS, that feaRlessiy