The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-07-14
THE HINDOO EDITOR.
THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN
THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS TASK.

u. =. rord Of ExtravaSant Expressions anu
Leaves Blank Pages When He Cans fn'
| s,.csnd. Publication When HO
| Takes . Holiday
The Indian press is of ancient orlgin'
Ages before the European conquesS
oyerv court had its weekly, In some
cases its daily journal, which was sen'
ont to the principal towns and atten-
tivalv read by mobiles, wealthy people
ond officials. These journals contained
nroclamations and DEGREES, and enron,
;clad the movements of the court ana
ali things likely to be of interest 10
the faithful subjects of the rulers OF
the various principalities.
Newspapers. in our meaning OF the
word we're first published in 1918. But
these were in English. Inc nrst La,
tive newspaper was not lssueu u.ti1
the middle of the century. Inc haIVe
press of the present day may De
| divided into two classes, papers edlted
| and published by natives, the matter
! being generally half in Engllsh ana
half in native language, and those
journals which are published entirely
| in a native language, this class being
much more numerous.
AS a rule. these last are small, very
poorly printed on cheap paper, often
on only one side of the sheet and not
infrequently the same journal varies
in size. according to the amount OF
news obtainable and the personal cir
cumstances and convenience of the
editor.
Generally speaking, the native is
very anxious to acquire a knowledge
of English. 1t not only opens the way
to appointments in the government SER
vice. but also makes him person of
great Importance in the district as
comparatively few of the millions Of
natives read English or even under
stand it when spoken. A working
knowledge of our tongue Is indispen-
sable to a native editor, because all
the important news is first published
in the Anglo-Indian newspapers.
the native writer is fond of extrav-
agant expressions, and makes use,
whenever he can. Of quotations from
Shakespeare or Milton and the relig-
ious phrases he mas seen in missionary
literature. In the use of metaphors
he often gets much mixed up.
The editorial page Of the Indian
country paper is literary curiosity.
For instance, the reader is assured, in
an article on a political crisis, that "all
the crowned heads of Europe are
shaking in their Shoes" Sometimes we
read that ''the editor expects, with
divine help, to have more reading suit
ed to the intelligence of his subscrib-
ers in the next issue"
But the editor is seen at his best in
his own announcements. His whole
vocabulary is brought into play to i'm
press the readers. Sometimes the an
nouncement takes the tone of apology
as in the case of the editor who in
| nOcently declared: This is only the
beginning of our paper. We were not
sure how much matter was required
to fill it up, and, thinking we had suffi-
| cient, we did not exert ourselves much
to get any more. We therefore beg
that our readers will excuse us this
| time for the space left blank. and
J promise to do better and get more in
| the future"
Stlll more curious was the announce
ment of a paper which came out for
| thc uISl llIue WlCn TWO columns blank,
the editor making the bold announce
ment that "a large quantity of exceed
ingly interesting matter had been left
out for want of space"
When the native editor wants a holt
day he suSpends publication until it is
convenient to resume. ana. taking his
readers into his confidence, informs
them plainly why the paper was not
issued on the expected dates. "With
the consent of our readers. we now
propose to take our annual holiday. We
are sure none of then will begrudge us
| our relaxation"
If it were not for the English news
papers published in Calcutta, Bombay
! and other large cities. which are edited
by cultured Englishmen and Anglo-In-
1 dams, the native journals would be
very poor productions, as nearly all
the news and much of the other read
ing matter is translated in order to fill
them.