The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-08-22

Tor which he writes, IL doesn't seem
so sad When you see an item In the
city papers poking fun st the country
editor for printing news about John
Jones new barn Won laugh and laugh
--fos You know that on one Of the
pages Of that same city daily Is u
two-cosnmn story In regard TO the
trimmings ON the gowns nf the
Duchess OF wheeibarrow. And II Is
all the more amusing because you
know that the duchess does not even
know Of the existence OF the aforc-
said city paper. while John Jones
and many Of his neighhors take and
pay for the paper which mentioned
his new barn. Don't waste your pity
on the country newspaper worker
lie viii get along.
After all. no one man In the COM
mnnity has so large an opportunity 10
assist the town IN advancement rs
the editor. IL Is not because he is
smarter than others, not because he
Is wealthy, bur because he il the
spokesman OF the outer world.
He Is eager 10 print all the news In
bis own paper. Does he do 81. Hard
~ This would he very newsy
paper exclalmsed Il frank country
editor To his subscribers, ''were II
not for the fact that each OF the
four men who work on IL has 80
many friends. by the time all the
items that might injure any Of their
friends Is omitted, very little Is left"
II wish you would print a piece
about our school teacher, 8 said
farmers wife To me one afternoon.
Say that she Is the best teacher In
the county"
But / can't do that zoo other
teachers would be angry. You write
the piece and sign IL and IN print
it,
What are you running a news
paper for II you cant please your
subscribers she demanded and
cancelled her subscription.
SO the country editor leaves out
certain gooi things and certain bad
things for the very simple reason
that the persons most interested are
close at hand and eau lind the indi-
viduals responsible for the state
ments. He becomes wise 10 his gen.
GRAFTON and avoids ehastisemenis and
libel suits. He Ends that there is
40 lasting regard In sneer, no salts.
faction In gratifying the impulse TO
say things that bring tears TO WON.
EMS eyes, nothing to 9loat over 10
opening wound in a mans heart.
II be does not learn this as he grows
Older In the service he Is poor coun-
try editor.
THE power OF the country press In
Washington surprises me. said
Middle West Congressman last win
ter During my two terms | have
been impressed with IL constantly. /
doubt II there Ia single calm utter.
ance 10 any paper Ia the United
States that does not carry some
weight 10 Washington among the
members OF congress.
You might think that what some
country editor says does not amount
to anything, but 1t means a good deal
more than most people realize. When
the country editor who Ii looking
after nothing but the county print
ing gives expression TO some rational
idea about national question. the
man of here 10 congress knows that
1t comes from the grass roots. The
lobby, the big railroad lawyers and
that class Of people realize the power
OF the press, but they hate it. /
have heard them talk about II and
shake their heads and say, Too
much power there The press Is
more powerful than money -
This was not said In fiattery. but
because he had seen on congressman
desks the heaps OF country weeklles,
and he knew how closely they were
read. The smallest editorial para.
graph tells the politician OF the con.
dition in that papers community.
for be knows that II IL put there be-
cause the editor has gathered the
Idea from some one whom he trusts
as a leader, and the politician knows
approximately who that leader Is.
so the country editor often exerts
power Of which be knows little.
But politics IL only part OF coun-
try editors life. The social Affairs
Of the community are nearest to him.
The proud father who brings in
cigar with notice 81 the seventh
baby's arrival why cigars and babies
should be associated Ia mems minds
never understoodl, the fruit farmer
who presents some bne Ben Davis
apples In the expectation that he
will act a notice. are but types. The
editor may have some DOUBTS con-
corning The need of seventh child
Ia the family Of the proud father,
and be may not he psrtieulasix1 -
u Ben Davis apples. but
generous notices because
that the gifts we're PROM
hearts and that the =
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