Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-03-24

ne duHual IueetInS OF the Maine ffesS
Association was held at Portland Wednes-
day and Thursday. Feb. 10th and llth.
Below will be found the essay delivered at
the meeting by c. b. Burlcigh, of the
kennebec journal, entitled The Editor
and the Public"
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
| am here to-day as an alternate, not as
a substitute. 1t Is the misfortune of the
Maine Press Associations that the gentle
man who was originally selected for es-
>syi>t and who, from an extended aid
highly successful publishing experience,
i - peculiarly qualified 10 entertain and
instruct u, has been prevented hy busi-
ne, engagements. from ben. with Us
4 on this occasion.
For me To undertake to tell such an au-
dicncc - this nything new in lines Of
newspaper work, would tie both an i'm
possible act and presumption. task L.
would hc forcing Gamaiiul lo sit pnIni
A. the feet Of youth. There are. however.
some thoughts touching the relations be-
tween the editor aud the public which.
though hy no means new, are never with
out interest Some of them we NAV well
Con>idcr to-day.
II seems - be pretty Well conceded
among the members of the profession at
the present time, that judgment is the
genius Of journalism. The manifestation
OF ii i largely IN the perspective which
the editor gives To his paper / hr be a
true journalist tie Will be in sympathetic
touch with his constituents. He Will know
thor deeds, their desires. their likes, their
di>i!ke>. Every mstltr that comes to hi-
de>k Will be considered from the stand
point Of what is best for that constitu-
enCy, and from thst view, its relative
prominence IN the paper Will be deter
mined. In short. he iii strive to make Il
paper that viii please his patrons.
! he public. 10 any editor means the pat
ron> OF his paper, when, theIe ore, he l.
serving their Interests he is serving. in
80 far A. he l. able, the interests of the
community. An editors influence. how
ever, i always greater than his sub>crip-
uun list. HIS readers enforce his gospel!
and vastly increase the circle OF it, ef-
frctive work The thing that aiways
puthcr- An EDITOR, j. not 20 much what 10
put IN his paper, as what to keep out OF
il. tie has 50 much space available for
reading matter. and this, good business
a. wvlI a editorial Considerations. demand
should be filed with the matter that shall
be OF the greatest interest to the greatest
number OF his readers. just what that
matter l., the editor l. more competent 10
decide than any one else can possibly be
w here l. there n man III control of q
Lcw-paper VINO does not oftentimes have
to contend with parties who feel charged
with The duty OF taking care both of their
own ahaiTs and bis, aud who, II given full
SWING, would speedily divert the space
pald for by the many 10 the publication Of
matters of interest only to the few There
Is probably not an editor in Maine in the
shadow OF whose sanctum do not lurk
parties resdy and anxluu, TO relieve him
II his editorial responsibilities. The as
surance of such parties Is always colossal :;
never sublime. Editors are proverbially
long suffering They have the power TO
take these would-be dictators by the ears ;
but with rare charity be it said, the,
usually refrain. However mild hammered
the average Maine editor may be he ha, a
large element of stubboruness in his make
up. tie insists and persists in wearing
his own collar and doing his own work IN
his own way. His course Of action fire.
quently causes the great would bes much
turmoil Of soul; but they are powere-s To
change IT, When they have mouey in
vested IN newspaper plant, they can run
things connected with il; but the genuine
down East editor usually conducts his
business according to his own ideas. IT.
4 habit OF his, and confess that | admire
him for It
The number of people who labor under
the de!u>ion that nature really designed
them Tor II newspaper career Is exceeding
ly large. Charles Dudley Warner declares
that while. strange to relate, there are
scattered up and down this broad land
many people unable TO pay for paper he
has never yet found any one unable TO edit
one. Though many are called in news
paper woIk, few are chosen. Next to the
search for the PIeran fuunt, most of Us
have decided the search for tirst-clas>
newspaper man 10 be about the most dit
ticult. They are rare gems and when
touhd are treasured with the most Jealous
care. Maine has produced quite a number
of them, aside fIom those now Iaboring
within its borders. We note their sue
cesses in other fields with sincere pride
and with profounder appreciation than
ever before of the fact that the best crop
Of the Pine Tree State has always beer
men and women.
n uOciuiLo tidt frequently DuZLcs dDOul
the sanctum, and causes the editor muct
annoyance, is the individual who think.
that no newspaper man is doing his full
duty unless he Is engaged in bombardina
somebody or something. He can see nl
possible use for him aside from fighting
purposes. The pursuits of peace have nc
place in this mans conception of wha'
constitutes true journalism. He look.
hE nf 10
assassin with whose assistance he may
sweep his opponents from the face of the
earth. His code of war is somewhat ab
original, for not only does he insist thai
the editor shall kill his victim, but also
that he shall scalp him as well. All this
work is to be done without remuneration
For no cause, not even mercenary, thi.
man expects the editor to disgust his pat
rons, waste his space, and vastly enlarge
the circle of his enemies. Now any edi
tor who will make this kind of cats-pav
of himself deserves all the blisters he viii
get in pulling other peoples chestnut> ou
of the fire. Editors are proverbiall,
philanthropic but this is no reason VIII.
they should enter upon q career of self
annihilation at the behest of any one. l
is for them, and for them alone, in deal
ing with the social life about them Il
decide what their papers shall say, or wha
they shall not say, upon any and ever!
topic.
There are lots of people whose heart
bleed in an anonymous way. The opel
effusion OF this blood might result in dis
agreeable personal experiences, or even il
financial loss, and rare indeed does thl
kind of heart bleed to that extent. Sucl
people are perfectly willing to send tn
editor forth to do battle upon all occa
sions. They assure him that their bes
wishes will 60 with him, though they d.
not care to be known personally in tn
matter. If he should die, they woult
gladly steal forth in an anonymous way
on some dark night, to drop salt tea
/ upon his grave; to beat their breasts AM
sigh, in sincerity of soul. 'here lies tn
| ashes of what was once a man."
The devotion of such people knows n
bounds. In the generous fervor OF thel
souls they will gladly furnish tons OF am
munition if the editor will only go to tn
| front with 1t. They are like Artema
| Ward who, in the exuberance OF his pa
triotic zeal, was perfectly willing that al
his wife's relations should be sent to tn
war.