Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-01-25

asmueh as this life exists in its mos
transparent form in the small town.
- is not strange that the indiyidus
whose humble duty it is to hold NJ
the mirror and let the community
~ see itself has an exceptional opportu
gs nifty 10 come into contact with his en-
IN yironment and be impressed by it
more curious phases. The farthes
. removed person in the whole worlt
from the recluse is the country editor
ID The country weekly is viewed by it
Ie constituency in a light-humored way
usually. People do not regard it al
much more than a plaything. They
=, appreciate it, stand by it, support il
u loyalty, but never take it seriously
i unless when it occasionally crosses
their path. 1t is not viewed as other
. lines Of business are. Quite likely
this is Just as well for the proprietor,
in the grand summing-up, but it leads
to many petty annoyances and occa-
: sions him frequent embarrassments.
He is expected to feel very grateful at
all times for the privilege OF making a
living in the way he does. The world
could get along just as well without
him and his little equipment of presses
and type, but the world is satisfied
with him on the whole and ifhe wants
to spend his life in puttering in such a
really harmless way, why, the world
has no real objection, but he mustn't
expect it to pay much attention to him
and he mustn't forget his very humble
station ever The farmer is a necessi-
! ty; the doctor we must have; the
clergyman must be supported; but as
to the little country editor, why, he
never would be missed if he got lost in /
the busy shuttle OF life.
Starting with this idea, it is not
strange that the country weekly is
viewed as a sort OF public enterprise,
bound to be sustained anyway, and by
reason thereof subject to the guidance
Of pretty much everybody. No one
would quite admit this, of course, but
it is so, just the same. The commu-
nifty sits as critic on the local news
paper, and usually sits hard. 1t is {
read not more to find out what's going {
on than to find out what the editor
thinks about what's going on. II it {
harmonizes with the general view, all &
right for once. If not, the editors "of.n
The fact that a good share of what the I
paper prints is already known in adj I
vance to the reader adds to this par L
ticular feature. b
There isn't person in the communi-
~ but what knows he could improve u
The paper in some ways. 1t is too u
large or too small; the type is too dark "
Or too light; there is too much sense G
ess gossip or there is too little atten- n
ion paid to locals; the editorials are al
90 dry or too cranky. Quite likely
hese faults do exist, to a greater or W
ess degree. The most dissatisfied Is
'erson with the paper is the publisher n
himself, and he is always trying to al
improve it and glad of word of sug- II
-estion, kindly offered and prompted "
y real interest. But the editor who W
ries to frame his paper so as to suit d
everybody would of course fail Why al
lot assume that he knows something "
bout his business himself? No one VI
you'd think OF advising a doctor to IN
1--WE patient calomel instead of qui- Is
Inc, or a farmer to plant corn instead
f potatoes.
Perhaps the worst person whom the bl
ountry editor has to contend with is M
be local news censor. lie is every- 6
ody in the community, lie wants ~
TENS written up just thus and so. The
ditor should see things as he sees as
hem. If he dared, he would ask for &c
dvance proofs Of all the locals each i
'eek for chance to edit them. Some
INES he does ask to see the copy or
he proof of certain items that he has -
special interest in. The editor is very ri
umble before him and apologies lin
Or being an editor anyway-wishes he "a
ould let out the job to the able censor. ~ -
.fter the paper is out, he lodges br
round a corner when he sees the CEN ba
or coming, for he knows how inferior 81
e is and expects immediate annihila- -,
on for some untoward lapse. =
Everybody who does anything liable
be noted by local paper considers
nat he has vested right in the re-
ortlng of the same. Very often he
refers that il shall not be noted at all
Please don't say anything about it $ :,
nd If the editor insists that it is newg 1,
nd cannot be omitted he is consider :,
i real mean. If newspapers only
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