The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-02-27
The Country Editor.

try paper Particularly is this true if
the man puts his own individuality into
his paper The average citizen looks
to his paper for reflection of his own
views, political, religious and economic
He does not care to hear new opinions
He wants his own beliefs expressed in
print by some one who has acquired the
art of clear expression. When This pa
per sets forth opions he has long cher
ished-if those opinions are forcibly
expressed the citizen is delighted and
swears by the big fish that there is no
man on earth like the editor. When
his cherished opinions receive rude
rap on the sconce, the average citizen
has his high regard for his paper con-
siderably diminished. Sometimes he
gets mad and quits taking the paper
which is a great constitutional privi
lege that belongs to him.
1t is absolutely out of the question to
give each subscriber paper which
shall in all respects suit him. The ed
itor's work is done when he has given
the reader the best he has of informa-
ton and thought. If the reader is not
pleased with the editors pest he has
the great constitutional privilege be-
fore spoken of to fall back upon.
In giving the news of town like
Kenosha, in which nearly every man is
bound to most all the others by ties Of
relationship or friendship, it is impos-
sible not to give offense often. The
newspaper man knows this, aid while
he may sigh over the general unreason-
ableness of mankind, he does not lose
his appetite for breakfast nor his usual
sleep because some indignant reader is
mad over the exposure of the fact that
Mr.. Soandso has been getting himself
into the police court or some unpleas-
ant scrape. He knows that Mr. So
andsO is alone to blame for the shame
brought on his relatives and friends,
and not the reporter who prints the
news. SO he possesses his soul in peace
and waits for the indignant reader to
cool off or stay hot, as the case may be.
Perhaps the worst trial put upon the
country editor is being compelled to
pass judgment upon contributions.
There are so many reasons why given
article may not be available which it is
impossible to detail to each individual
contributor, that the editor is often
compelled not to print copy he would
like to send to the neWs-rOOm. There
may be another article in hand, dealing
with the same subject, the article may
be of interest to few persons only, it
may be too long or too short, it may
contain matter cOlored by the writer's
prejudice-or dozen different causes
may operate to send it to the waste
basket. The contributor, who has
spent labor upon the production knows
only that it has not been printed, and
he is incense6. He usually waits a
week and then comes in to stop his
subscription. The country editor
scratches the name from his list and
credits himself with another claim upon
the favorable consideration of st. Peter.
The truth is that no man has upon
his hands job requiring more tact,
more judgment of men and more cOur-
age to do what he thinks is right, than
the country editor. Naturally, he wishes
to please everybody, as far as possible.
Often he throws a contribution into the
waste basket with sigh. And often
he puts a contribution on the copy
hook with fervent prayer that it may
be the last from that source. No mat
ter how decided and firm he may be in
matters of principle, there are occa-
sons when he must let business reasons
sway him to mar the symmetry of his
pdpCl ny SUM- VI NA1ANh wv
best that can be said is that it is rot
but hurts nobody. The work piled up
on a conscientious country newspaper
man is something tremendous. A city
journalist would go all to pieces under
the load. Day after day he must grind
at the mills of mental labor, and if at
times the tired brain rebels and the
tired hand refuses to drive the pencil,
his satisfaction is to hear after the days
grind is over that his paper that day is
dull affair.
Yet there are pleasant things in the
country editors lines. He has his
friends, loyal and true. He has the
good will and respect of many persons
whose respect and good will are dear
to him. There are those occasionally
| who rO ont of their Way to tell him,