Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-08-09
THE COUNTRY EDITOR
HIS PLACE IN ECONOMIC PROB
LENS NOT UNDERSTOOD.

HIS PLACE IN ECONOMIC PROB
LENS NOT UNDERSTOOD.
A Comprehensive Review Of His Sphere in
Atlantic Monthly Will Give an ENLARGED
Comprehension of His Influence in Social
and Political Life and as Factor for Pro-
ducins Conditions of Enterprise and Thrift
A Long Delayed Instance of Giving
the Devil His Due"
Charles NJ. IIargcr in Atlantic Monthly.
EulgogicS and laudatory para
graphs. alternating with snecrs. rid
icule and dcprrciations. long have
been the lot of the country editor.
Pictured in the comic papers us an
cuot iSti- clown. cxultcd by the poll
ticianS rs Il mighty mouldcr of pub
lie opinion. occasionally chaStiscd
by angry patrons and sometimes re-
mcmbcrcd by delighted subscribers.
he has put his errors where they
could be read by all men and has
modestly sought Il fair credit for all
his merits.
At times he has rrbellcd not at
treatment from his constituency, but
at patronizing remarks of the city
journalist who sits at mahogany
desk and dictates able articles for
the eightcen-paGc daily. instead OF
writing local items ut Il pine table III
the Office of Il four-page weekly. Thus
did one voice his protest: When
,you consider that the country weekly
is owned by its editor and that the
man who writes the funny things
about country papers in the city
journals is owned by u corporation
for which he writes, it doesn' seem
so sad. When you see un item in thu
city papers poking fun AZ the coun-
try editor for printing news about
John Jones new barn. you laugh and
laugh for you know that on one OF
the pages of that same city daily is Il
twO-column story in regard to the
trimmings on the gowns Of the Ouch
cSs of Whrclbarrow. And it is all
the more amusing because you know
that the duchess does not even know
of the existence of the aforesaid city
paper. while John Jones and many
of his neighbOrs take and pay for the
paper which mentioned his new barn.
Don't waste your pity on the cOun-
try newspaper worker. He will got
along"
After all, no one man in the com
munity has SO large an opportunity
to assist the town in advancement as
the editor 1t is not because he is
smarter than others. not because he
is wealthy, but because he is the
spokesman of the outer world
He is eager to print all the news in
his own paper. Does he do i'll
Hardly. This would be Il very
newsy paper" exclaimed 4 frank
country editor to his subscribers,
were it not for the fact that each
of the four men who work on it h&s
SO many friends. BY the time all the
items that might injure any of their
friends is omitted, very little is left. "
wish you would print u piece
about our schoolteacher,' said u
fapmer's wife to me one afternoon.
Say that she is the best teacher in
the county"
But can't do that-20O other
teachers would be angry. You write
the piece, sign it and II print it. y
What are you running Il news
paper for if you can't please your
subscribers" she demanded and can
cclled her subscription.
So the country editor leaves out
certain good things and certain bad
things for the very simple reason
that the persons most interested are
close at hand and can find the indi
Vidual responsible for the statements
He becomes wise in his generation
and avids chastisementS and libe
suits. He finds that there is no last
ing regard in snecr, no satisfaction
in gratifying the impulse to say
, things that bring tears to women :
eyes, nothing to gloat over in open
, ing u wound in a man heart, If h,
does not learn this as he grows oldel
: in the service he is poor country
: editor.
, The power of the country pres
in Washington surprises me, said ;
Middle West Congressman last win
: ter, During my two terms ! hav'
! been impressed with it constantly.
doubt if there if q single calm utter
: ance in any paper in the Unite'
, States that does not carry som
weight in Washington among tn
1 members of Congress,
, You might think that what som
country editor says does not amoun
D to anything, but it means good dea
8 more than most people realize. Whe1
Q the country editor who is looking
Q after nothing but the county print
t ing gives expression to some rationa
l idea about national question, tn
S man off here in Congress knows tina
d it comes from the grass-rOOts. Tn
lobby, the big railroad lawyers an
that class of people. realize the powe
of the press, but they hate it.
have heard them talk about it an
;. shake their heads and say, TO
9 much power there! The press
5 more powerful than money"
!. This was not said in tlattery, bu
e because ne Hdu seen ol SOHsieo'
$ gressmen desks the heaps OF cour
Q try weeklies, and he knew how close
v ly they were read. The smallest ed
S torial paragraph tells the political
v of the condition in that papers con
r. munity, for he knows that it is pl
y there because the editor has gatl
O cred the idea from some one whol
e he trusts as a leader, and the pollt
e clan knows approximately who tn;
"a leader is, So the country editor O
}. ten exerts power of which he know
!. little.
n But politics is only part Of cou'
!. try editors life. The social affair
l. of the community are nearest to hin
IS The proud father who brings in
20 cigar with notice of the sevent
J. baby's arrival (why cigars and b
e bies should be associated in men
Al minds | never understoodl, the frl
IS farmer who presents some fine Be
D,,,;, a,,Clac in tho aynacfnfiOnS tn.