The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-11-21
.rAe IDI1oR AND 1HE TowN..
BY d. w. BRANDON. TELEGRAM.
ADRIAN. MICH.


of 'stops" in another. The editor
who would be popular and power
in one community might play losing
game and become a man of small in
fiuence in another.
There are towns that will take
almost any kind of slush that an
editor may give his readers. There
are other towns that almost resent
a real editorial opinion. The editor
is an evolution. He is growing better
year by year. The town is an evolu-
tion. It is growing bigger and broad
er and greater year by year. be-
lieve and have always maintained,
both in public and private, that an
editor both to be successful and in
fluential must play square with the
people.
II partisan politicians, rings or ma
chimes are robbing the public and
the editor is sure of his grounds,
he should be man enough to say so
II special interests are working
special schemes to give them special
privileges to benefit the few at the
expense of the many, the real editor
who plays square with the people
should be willing to oppose directly
and emphatically all such schemes.
The real editor should be broad
enough and have backbone enough
and brains enough to take a stand in
opposition to his best friends, to his
largest patrons. to his heaviest ad-
vertisers, If the public interest de-
mands it. The public interest should
come first. Even from the most
selfish standpoint If no other
Your best friend may die. Your
largest patron may sell out or move
| away. Your heaviest advertiser may
! go into bankruptcy. But the pub
/ lie goes on forever
Play square with the public and
the public is your friend, and il the
/ public is your friend. the advertiser
will go to the paper the public reads,
whether he believes in the editorial
policy or not.
Then on broad principles without
attempting to suggest any plan that
would apply generally, the editor
should be honest. He should be hon
est with himself, honest with the
public and honest in the presentation
of public questions.
1t is impossible to always be right.
Mistakes will happen. Honest edito-
rials are often written on misinfor-
nation. But even they should ring
true. They should strike clear. They
should not be written as IL the editor
was feeling around for a soft place
to light More than that, a news
paper ought to have editorial opin-
ions. More than that, it ought not
to dodge local issue 1t is the local
questions that interest the local
readers.
A Republican editor or a Demo-
cratic editor, who devotes a column
to lambasting the opposition party
on national or State questions, and
permits his party council to give half
the town away, without ever uttering
a protest, is not living up to the
high ideal of real editor.
The local editor cannot do much
toward shaping the destinies of his
State or national organization, but
with the use of brains and tact and
hard work, he can do wonders toward
helping his home town. 1t is the
duty of the editor to do all he can
to help his town.
| He should favor the policies that
will help his town get new factories,
new enterprises, new Improvements,
new citizens. He should help his
town by frequently speaking of its
advantages. its good location for
business. its opportunities for buyers
The newspaper that is not afraid to
get on the right side of public ques-
tions will be respected. A great
many editors speak out strongly on
most questions. but weakly dodge the
liquor and similar questions. Don't
dodge anything Don't be afraid OF
anything.
Meet and treat the questions ol
the day fairly and honestly. The
public is willing to differ from you
But it doesn't admire an editor who
is always squirming around and
Topping about.
II a Democratic alderman should
make a mistake, take a wrong posi-
ton, the thunders of Mt Sinai would
not be equal to the thunders of vi
tuperation the Republican organ ii
usually able to turn loose.
Or II the shoe should happen Il
be on the other foot the roar o.
Niagara would be as mild as a sum
mer breeze, compared to the raging
torrents of denunciation and nois,
that partisan Democratic editor
would fire at the political culpri
whose chief fault probably aros,
from his standing in the way of som,
graft in which some friend OF tn,
partisan journal was interested.
A thousand worse things, however
would go toboganning through tn,
town. creating havoc, piling up taxes
getting the town by the ears, and tn
same editor would never utter a wor,
of protest.
1t is my judgment that an edito
should be an editor. That he shoul,
never be partisan partisan. Belong
to party II you feel that to be you
duty, but don't let the party use yol
to pull It's burning chestnuts out O
the fire.
Like just Judge sitting on tn
|, bench, the editor should deal witt
public questions from the sole stand
| point of doing the greatest good t
| fho orao faot r,,.x.,ha,. I baIfa.rn ~ N