New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-03
THE COUNTRY EDITOR,
On the Whole His Lot Is q HoDDy
One.
BY Charles MORGAN Harger.

Eulogies and laudatory paragraphs. alternat,n,
with sneers, ridicule and depreciations long have
been the lot OF the country editor Pictured IN th
comic papers an egotistic clown exalted bv 4ba
politicians a mighty ''moulder Of public oni,
ion,' occasionally chastsed by angry patrons and
sometimes remembered by delighted subscribers
he has put his errors where they could be Rad 40
all men and has modestIy sought fair credit for
hts merits.
At times he has rebelIed-not at treatment Sror,
his constituency. but at patronizny remarks ~ ~.
city journalist who sits at a mahogany desk ara
dictates able articles for tho eighteen-pags daily
instead Of writing local items at a pine taba n
the Office OF a four-pags weekly Thus az a.
voice his protest: Wac you consider thar tbs
country weekly Is owned By it's editor and thar tbs
man who writes the funny things about countrv
papers in the city journals is owned by ths cor
poration for which he writes, 1t doesn't seen, a.
sad. When you item IN the citv pa7a-.
poking fun at the country editor for printing new,
about John JOnes's new barn YOU laugh and Iarrb
for you know that OF the pages OF that sam.
city daily is column story IN regard TO the
trimmings the gowns OF the Duchess OF WhsaI-
barrow. And It is all the more amusing bscaus.
you know the duchess does not even know OF tia
existence Of the aforesaid city paper. while John
Jones and many OF his neighbors take and paw for
the paper which mentioned his new barn Don't
waste your pity on the country newspaper worker
He will get along"
After all, no one man in the community has 50
large opportunity assist the town in advance
the editor. It is not because he Is smarter
than others. not because he is weaIthy-but be-
cause he is the spokesman TO the outside world
He IS eager TO print all the news in his own
paper Does he do IT. Hardly This would Be a
very newsy paper" explained a frank country ed
itor to his subscribers. were it not for the fart
that each Of the four men who work on It has many
friends By the time all the items that might in
jure some OF their friends omitted very little
is left"
Il wish you would print piece about our school
, teacher. said a farmers wife TO me- one after
noon Say that she IS the best teacher IN The
county"
But can't DO that-two hundred other teachers
would be angry. You write the piece. sign (. and
I'll print TT
What you running newspaper FOR II Won
cana please your subscribers?' she denanded-ans
cancelled her subscription
so the country editor leaves out certain good
things and certain bad things for the very stulD.
reason that the persons most interested ara cIosa
at hand and can find the individual resDonsibla .-
the statements He becomes wise IN his generation
and avoids chastisements and libel suits I4a A,+s
that there IS no lasting regard in sheer no sat-
lsiaction IN gratifying the impulse say things
that bring tears TO women's eyes nothing 10 gloat
over In opening wound in a mans heart II IA
does not learn this as he Slows older In the ser
vice he is poor country editor
The power Of the country press IN Washington
surprises me- said Middle West CONGRESSMAN
last winter. During my two terms 7 have been
impressed with IL constantly I doubt II thara "a
single calm utterance in any paper IN tba T-7f-aI
States that does not carry some weight N Wash
inston among the members OF Congress-. You might
think that what some little country editor saws
does not amount 10 anything. but It means great
deal moro than most people realize When tbs
country editor who is looking after nothing but the
county printing gives expression 10 some rational
Idea about national question. the man or here
IN Congress knows that it comes from the grass
roots The lobby. the big railroad lawyers and
that class of people realize the power OF TIE
press, but they hate It.. I have heard them talk
about il and shake their heads. and say Too
much power there. The press Is more powerful
than money"
This was not said In fattery. but because he had
seen on Congressmen's desks the heaps of country
weeklies. and he knew how closely they were read.
The smallest editorial paragraph tells politician
or the condition in that papers community, for he
knows that II is put there because the editor has
gathered the idea from SONS one whom he trusts
as leader. and the politician knows approximately
who that leader Is So the country editor often
exerts a power OF which he knows little.
But politics IS only part OF the country editors
HE The social affairs Of the community are near
est TO him. The proud father who brings in a cigar
with notice OF the seventh baby's arrival (why
cigars and babies should DO associated in mems
minds never UNDERSTOOD. the fruit farmer who
presents some fine Ben Davis apples in the expecta-
ton that he will get notice are but types. The
eultOr may nave some doubts concerning thu need
OF a seventh child in the family OF the proud
father. and he may be particularly fond OF
Ben Davis apples but he gives generous notices
because he knows that the gifts were prompted by
kind hearts and that the givers his friends
When Joy comes to the household It Is but ths
working OF the hearts best impulses desire that
all should share it. The that the princess OF
the family has. after many years OF waiting we'd
ded a prosperous merchant OF the neighborinS
county brings the family into prominence IN the
home paper. Seldom IN these busy times does the
editor get piece OF wedding but nevertheless
he fails not to say that the bride is 'one OF our
lovelest young ladies and the groom IS worthy OF
the prize he has won" The city paper does not
do that. Here and there country editor tries 10
put city airs and give the bare facts OF social
functions without personal touch TO the lines
But unfrequently does he succeed in reaching the
hearts OF his readers, and somehow he finds thar
his contemporary across the street. badly printed.
sprinkled with typographical and hating IN
Its grammar but profuse in its laudatious IS get
ting an unusual number OF new subscribers Even
you. though YOU may pretend 10 be unmndfuI- are
not displeased when the day after your party
you read that the guests went home feeling that
good time had been had
And when sorrow comes! Into the home OF
city friend Of mine death entered. taking the WIG
and mother The family had been prominent N
social circles and columns were printed IN TINS
city papers. columns OF cold biographical facts
born. married. died. But the went back to the
small country town where in their early married
life the husband and wife had spent many happy
years. and in the little country weekly was quts
another sort OF story II told how much her ffiehoS
loved her. how saddened they were by he pass
ing away, how sweet and womanly had been her
character The husband did not send the city
papers distant acquaintances: he sent copy after
copy of the little country weekly. the only place
where. despite his prominence in the world ap
peared q sympathetc relation OF the loss that nav
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