Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-16
Wiseellansu,ls gsading.
EDITORS IN POLITICS."
Ideal Of the Late Captain L. M. 0rist
As Seen BY q Vermont Newspaper.

loeai OF tne Late captain L. NJ. Grtst
As Seen BY Vermont Newspaper.
A good many newspaper men In
Vermont have successfully entered up
on the deeps and shadows Of local,
county and even state politics. It is In
no sense reflection upon them when
We note that the weight of precedent
appears to operate against the pro-
priety and advisability of the average
editors undertaking to enter. on his
own account, a field in which he must
naturally be a sort Of expert.
The editorial opinion Of a newspa-
per ought to be unbiased by personal
interest. The discussion of public mat
ters, in which 1t Is every ones privi-
lege to disagree, should never be COM
plicated by the personal ambitions and
desires Of newspapers editorial chief.
While it is true that frequently policies
are made outside the power Of the
hired writer, II Is also true that his at
torneyship would be excessively COM
plicated were he to enter politics on
MS own account.
On this subject, very illumining
article appears in recent issue Of the
Yorkyille, 8. c., Enquirer, whose
founder, LIE is NJ. Grist, imposed upon
his sons very important trust. The
heirs and executors say in a recent is
sue of The Enquirer:
The principal aim of the life Of the
late l. M. Grist, was to contribute as
much as he could to the happiness,
prosperity and general well-being Of
his fellowmen. He strove to that end
for more than fifty years, and not half
salts I ID with what he himself had ac-
complished, did what he could to bind
his sons after him, to continue In the
same lines he marked out.
It has never been published In The
Enquirer before; but in his last will
and testament probated few days
three sons to whom he left the bulk Of
his earthly possessions should con-
tinue the publication Of The Enquirer:
that no one Of them should become in
terested In any outside business, and
that no one of them should hold any
public Office Of profit, and to safeguard
the carrying out of his desires, he pro-
vided as penalty for disregard. the
forfeiture Of all other benefits under
the will. The object of the provision
prohibiting business interests outside
Of the paper, was to conflne all the en-
ergies of his successors to the paper
the holding Of public office Of profit
was likewise. All Of his life, the late
l. M. Grist held to the belief that the
true mission OF q newspaper was the
upbuilding and promotion Of the well
fare Of the people 1t claimed to serve,
and the editor or publisher in politics
would be tempted to consider his own
interest to the neglect Of the public.
Mr.. Grist, 1t would seem, set up
herein very pretty ideal. Il Is not
for us to say whether editors as a
whole live up to their best conceptions
Of such things; It seems to be certain.
however, that the business Of editing
or publishing newspaper is sufficient
ly exacting so that most men viii have
time for little else, but amusement and
recreation.
There are other reasons which mill
tate against the success Of the news
paper man In politics. Whenever. In
the course Of his duty, On editor is re-
quired to oppose some mans scheme,
candidacy or personal ambition, he is
certain to create enemies, all the more
bitter, perhaps, because they are ST.
lently and grudgingly suppressed.
An example of this exists in ver-
mont at this moment. There is an ed
itor, admit edly leader and unques-
tionably expert in knowledge Of politi-
cal policies, who once told the exact
truth about a certain department Of
state. This department is able to mus
ter in its support what is pronounced
to be the most determined lobby ever
seen at the state house. Now, should
that editor ever enter state politics
and a good many men think him ELL
gible-he meets, at first hand. the de-
termined opposition and resolute en-
nifty Of every man enlisted in support
Of that department.
The same thing prevails In the case
of every editor who ever undertook a
vigorous and unrelenting warfare on
anything for which politicians are re-
sponsible, whether it be a normal
school, state deficit or a city fire
alarm Men are shockingly like bad
little boys in such things. They bear
malice and spite, worthy only Of chill
dren, with the vigor and resolution Of
manhood. And the professional attor-
yship of the editor. the impersonal
privilege which ought to be secured to
him by his position, that exists, very
often, simply in a euphemistic sense.
Some times it seems little unfair to
hold Smith, Jones or Brown personally
responsible for the things he writes to
order for a corporation Of unknown
men. 1t takes some nerve to sit down
and point out mans public misdo-
ings and then meet him face to face
next day and perhaps accept the sar-
castically offered cigar or dinner invi-
tation, but it may not, perhaps, be un-
healthy. 1t imposes a sense OF re-
sponsibility that is sometimes discon-
certing, but that makes for careful and
conservative work. 1t may be hard
on the individual, but it is good for the
trade.
All Of this, naturally, tends to show
practical objection to an editors get
ting into politics, apart entirely from
the ethical side Of the question. The
nearer they get to the idea Of being
resnonsible recorders and commenta-
tors on history in the making and
nothing more, the better of editors
will be-Rutland, Vermont, Daily Her.
aid. j