The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-07-20
STATE PRESS ASSOCIATION.
'o"n ~hber Jenkins writes ju:erest.a,,v
About the Editors.

me following glowing tribute IN ,he
North Carolina editors. from the fac,le
pen OF John Wilbur jenkins, appeared
IN recent issue OF the Charlotte
News:
me North Carolina editors assemble
IN their annual convention TODAY a,
aroma Beach. below Wilmington.
nis IL the one time In the year whom
'hey get together for the exchange cf
eHp' fierces, opinions and ideas. when
those VINO meet every week in the wear
'hrongh the columns OF the press, see
c1.h other face TO face and give the
heirty grasp OF the friendly hand
lhere Is not In the Union a more pa
tfiolic. self-sacrificing set OF men thai
the North Carolina editors. With a
sparseiy populated country. and
small reading public many OF our news
papers have hard struggle for exist
ence. The majority OF their editors
nave 10 content themselves with glory
and bread and meat, looking to a iu-
ture life for their reward.
me local newspaper is the strongest
factor inthe upbuilding of any town.
and its influence is more far-reaching
than that OF any other force in the
| community. And yet many persons who
| subscribe to them and advertise in
( their columns regard the money they
pay to the newspaper as money given
to charity, when in fact they do not
| get as great returns from any other
| expenditure.
| North Carolina has an average OF
more than one newspaper to the coun.
IT,. and the field in some places is un-
doubtedly overcrowded: but as soon as
one dies. another springs up. and the
annual crop Of journalistic births more
than equals the number Of newspape,
deaths. Some people think that ANY
body can run newspaper which is 4
great fallacy; for. anybody can start
newspaper. but it takes genius tc
keep one running.
The country editor has the mos
complex task imaginable. 1t is a trade
| and a profession combined. He mus
superintend his press room and com
| posing room. must act as advertising
solicitor and ad writer. superintendent
Of circulation. subscription agent. CO.!
leCtor, book-keeper and cashier. man
aging editor. editorial writer. local re
porter. exchange editor and proof
reader. He must write about every
thing that is going on. but mus, no
put in the paper anything that will Of
fend any one in the community. In ad
dition to this he usually acts as secre
tary of all the local conventions an
committees. takes an active interest il
politics and acts as Bureau of Informa
tion for the entire community.
His reward for all this usually con
sists in being paid for advertising i
| calico. chips and whetstOnes, an
seeing delinquent Subscribers hav
a great time on the money they ow
| him.
Hut this state OF affairs is GROWN
less more so" every year. as Cnc'
Samuo said. The newspapers of th
State have improved greatly in tn
past few years and our country pres
!, will compare fayorab.y with that {
any State in the Union. The 1oc:
newspapers is usually really bette
than the eomm,Snty in which it
published. They are better printed, be
ter edited and better supported tha
they ever were before.
, The work CT the press for the Stat
has been of incaiculable value.
every effort for advancement. in vel
battle for right the North Carolina ed
tors are foremost in the fight.