The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-19
EDITORS,

40 Inc 1uICOT oI the Edsie-
Devils sometimes become editors. This
statement is occasionally reversed. But,
as matter of fact, many distinguished
editors have been evolved from devils.
To be sure, printers devil is not always
a hopeful subject for evolution to grasp
with its unfolding powers with much as
surance of moving him TO the top round
of the editorial ladder. But. that it has
succeeded in doing so in numerous in
stances, speaks well for the educating,
refining, eleyating and purifying infiu-
ence of the newspaper printing office
The printers devil is often a diamond,
unpublished. the light of whose developed
genius will some day illuminate
the pages of a metropolitan journal.
In the subterranean sphere of the
EAGLE Office there is now, perchance, an
embryonate editor who will some day
become a distinguished source of intel
lectual force and light So don't despise
the printers devil; he may be your
future editor, honored by all men in his
own community. The fame of an editor
is. in this respects, different from that of
prophet. The power of the editorial
pen to make and unmake, to facilitate or
obs:ruct is every where feared and re-
spected. A few brains IN an editorial
chair will, in a limited sphere, sometimes
command more Difference and homage
than they would in any other position in
1.-The community.
The brightest editor is often the man
who has knocked against obstacles in
his upward climbings through various
strata of society thereby gaining breadth
of understanding and depth of sympa-
thy. If he manifests little variety, be-
times, remember he is in a measure
self-made and would naturally have
much respect for his maker.
Never mind his vanity; honor him for
his utility-he is always among the fore
most, enterprising men in his com
munity. AS well have the sun turned
into darkness and the moon cease to re-
fleet light as for civilization to be main
tanned or advanced without the intellect
ual forces which radiate from editorial
sauctums. What if some of it is reflected?
There is much utility in good reflector.
Much of the intellectual light focused on
the editorial mind is DETECTED into the
waste basket. The editor gets won
derful insight into the weakness of
human nature; its aspirations, vanities.
freaks and foibles-self-bet which
he guards from public gaze with the
utmost fidelity. In my juvenile days
regarded the editor as a sort of a supe-
rior being, not made of the common clay
out of which the rest of us were formed,
and bedged about with an austere, un
approachable dignity. Later, this view
changed. | had been but few DAYS in
charge of the business end of a news
paper office in the Rocky mountains
when / discovered that editors had "that
touch of human nature which makes all
the world kin" by participating in an ed
itOrial excursion to dry" town. Now,
''dry" town in the region of the Rocky
mountains, in those days, was remark
able phenomenon. But this town was
not only a dry" town; it was also noted
for its cadaverous humanity and the
great number of its coffin shops. Amid
such sombre, solemn depressing, gravity
provoking and ennui-generating envir-
onment, one would naturally expect
dearth of mirth. But not so with our
editors. The editorial dignity mot the |
editors) was dissipated by the fitness of |
the occasion, and the day was spent
in much innocent, joyous hiliarity in |
the snow-chilled air from the white cap |
ped peaks of ad jacent mountains. An |
editor can be elastic or impossible as
occasion or prophecies require. None have |
more ready facility for extracting happi- /
ness from joy-sterile resources. The fires /
of his genius, the light of his imagination /
and his optimistic faith hold him in a |
mental atmosphere of elysian delights, /
and inspire him with localities as COM /
forting and more stimulating than reali- |
ties. In some localities his capacity for 1
adaptation taxes his ingenuity. once /
made "a trip TO an isolated mining camp /
to prospect for the establishment of 4
weekly paper. After looking the field /
over, and noting the broad-gauge require /
ments of the community, l sent this 7.
message back to a prospective partner: /
1--WE can exist here il we have the tact to !
adapt ourselves TO all the grades of soci- 4
ety--or are bullet-proof; otherwise sit /
will be well to seek more congenial To-
cation" | have seen tlmid ambition /
with inherent difiidence, In the absence I
of genius, wilt in the presence of bonn
bastic conceil. when courageous deter
mInaticn would have achieved success.
Editors do not have distinction thrust !
upon them; it is won by strong grasp /
and steady climbing kRATS.