The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-16
THE EDIToR,s CoMpENsATIoN.

3fz month. we never would a
thought it,
THE EDITORS CONFIRMATION.
A fire nearly destroyed the Office Of
the Albert Lea Standard recently and
caused a severe monetary loss. Com
menting on it, the Standard says that
it sis beginning to think that it is
worth while to get roasted itself just
once for the sake Of discovering how
many big-souled people there are in
Albert Lea who know how to sympa-
thize with editors and printers in dis
tress." There comes to every editor,
who conscientiously follows the ethics
of his vocation, a sense of loneliness
and friendliness. If he does his full
duty, if he is loyal to his readers as
well as to himself, if he acts under the
conviction that his readers look to
him for accurate information Of events
and for honest opinion on them. and
that he must not deceive or mislead
them; if he judges men and their acts
solely as related to the common well
fare, he does it at the cost Of will
lingness to sacrifice, often at the posi-
tive sacrifice Of friendships, at the
cost Of animosities that make no al
lowance for motive. involving losses of
which the monetary part Is the least.
There grows in him feeling that he
cannot afford those friendships that
n
of life, because he cannot know at what
moment the contingency will rise that
will demand their sacrifice.
And so there comes into his soul a
sense of exclusion. of loneliness, Of
aloofness from close and intimate con-
tact with his fellows. Peace with them
is an armed truce on his part which
any day may close. But, if he follow
his sense of duty, he goes stoutly on,
bestowing criticism or censure where
he deems it merited; opposing schemes
that make for personal welfare against
public veal; telling the truth as he sees
it and refusing to do aught to deceive
his readers and betray their trust in
him that thrift may follow faWning."
Hearing little or nothing from those
who believe in him and approve him,
hearing much from those whom he Of
tends, he comes to feel that, while of
acquaintanceS he may have many, of
friends he has precious few. 1t is a
rugged path such man daily treads,
with but the compensation that it is
the path of duty Loyalty followed. But
it is a lonely one, leading into ever
increasing solitude.
Some great misfortune comes to him.
A fire destroys his property and leaves
him penniless. To loss Of friends, to
the rancor of enmities incurred comes
poverty to give to his solitarness a
darker shade. He feels that he stands
absolutely alone amid the ashes And
gloom The solitary man finds him
self immensely wealthy in unsupported
store of friendlness. The great num-
Der who have silently approved speak
warm words of sympathy. Even those
whom he has opposed and who, in turn,
opposed him, fighting him while con-
scious of the rectitude of his motive,
refusing after the way of our weak
human nature, to own themselves
wrong, find the barriers between them
burned away and come forward with
kindly words and offers of help. Will
ing hands are extended from all sides
to help recoup the loss. 1t comes to
him to know that, while he was put
ting friendships and self-interest be-
hind him that he might do his duty;
while he was Offering on that altar
sacrifice of most that men hold dear,
he had been accommodating a store of
esteem, of respect, of confidence, of
appreciation in the hearts of his fell
lows, which is suddenly revealed to
him through the calamity that has
overtaken him. The monetary loss
shrinks to nothingness in the presence
of the discovery of this unsupported
riches of affection and regard. He feels
that life has it's compensations that
are abiding for it's misfortunes that are
tranSitOry.