The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-04-13
THE COUNTRY EDITOR.
Changes That Have Taken Place Dur
ing the Past Years.


FROM Success:
"rhere has never been a more
unique character in American life
than the county editor. AS pictured
IN books and on the stage, he pre-
sents II strange mixture of the ser
Ious, the humorous and the pathetic.
But the last fifty years have been
Years of evolution, and the country
editor of fifty years ago, Is PRACTICAL
ly extinct.
"rwenty-five years ago, the lot of
the country edltor seemed hard
one. He was always in close quar-
tiers financially, because he was
never "a business man. People gen
orally considered his life u struggle
for existence; and SO 1t was. His
was a ceaseless grind He wrote or
'ecissored' every sentence that APP
p, AIRED in his paper, put it in type
himself, placed It on the press, aud
then worked8h}s newspaper off by
hand. With ihe assistance OF his
wife or daughters, the papers Were
address SEQ 10 the subscribers, and the
entire edition was carried in u bas-
ket to the pos. Office by the edlto
ii had buC ole companion in his
trials, the small BOY with a dirty
lace and uirLier hands, whose trous
ers were held in place by u single
suspendeT, and VINO was known III
the town ana surrounding country
as the devil Littl- cash was taken
in by the editor, because his family
traded OUT the advertisements, anu
thus abSorbe tho town circulation,
wnIle the country subscribers bal
auced accounts With green wood anu
other products of their farms Ii, as
| the days passed, the editor received
enough MOI ey to buy his prlnllnE
paper ana an occasional font OF new
type. and pay p stage and I flee rent,
he considered himself quite lucky.
Tue country edlfor aqutrter Vt
a century ago was not ii college, bre d
man, buG he could chop logic wiz
the best products OF the universi
Ties, quole poetry APPLY, and, at ali
| hours notice, deliver political
speech or address "A Sunday-schoOr
convention. From the standpJIn,
OF the useful citiz 81, he WIS an all
around finished product.
The country editor oI to day is a
differenC person. III Is good bdsi
nee man. He can set type bus l.,
seldom found at the case He m
ploys cOlnposltors, or has ORR.
mented his office with typesettiuk
machine. he employs brigh,
young man to write local e.s, while
ne gives thought TO his euItorial
Work. His newspaper is printed Oh
an improved pre- IS, The power Is fur
niohtu by gas engine or electric
motor. aud the paper Is folded by
macnlnery. He owns his own home
kee ps his own horse and Carriage,
anu mas credit at the bank. A pleas
ure trip of d mouth is likely To b.
offered at any time, aud he takes II
giauly; while the young woman " he
keeps she books and the bright
young man VINO writes local news,
Keep the paper in h Straight line.
"Ihe Country newspaper men oil
to day really mold the sentiment vi
the republic, aud have done so fol
the last fifty years. The II rUp III
ton papers cannot successful,
champion any proposition that INT e 70
with the united opposition OF the
either succeed or Iail In proportion
as they are advocated Or opposed by
the people VINO 1--we In small towns
and Oh farms, because the evenings
of such people are devoted to read
ing anu r. fl cliUu, or 10 Olofashioneo
WISHING, wnich means an eXcnaI g
of views AID treq lent dlscussloI
In molding ,hes views, the country
editor Is tile cnIef instrument; anu
alter they ale nodded, lie Is JneIl
chief exponent, aud thus veruicts fol
history are nlaue.
"Ihe metropolitan daily comes tt
: the small town, or To the farm, anC
is large hat it is merely scanned
read Ino,uy from the headlines
The husband aud Iather peruses 1t
. tosses IL aslue, aud lt Is stationed vi
by the daughter, VINO Is through
with IL as soon as she glances owe