The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-06-23
CONFESSIONS OF AN EDITOR.

During all of our conscious existence
we have in some way been connected
with the Denison Review. Boy and
man we have grown up with it until
it has become flesh Of our flesh and
bone Of our bone. Ours was a pecu-
liar childhood in that for the ordinary
small talk of the home there was SUBJ
stituted partisanship and statescraft.
The new century has witnessed great
abatement in party prejudices and
party ties. but in our childhood they
were at their height. Even az . lad
Of five we can remember the rigors Of
the Hayes-Tilden campaign and the
black eye we received while carrying
torch for Garfield is still vivid inn
preston. The father Of the Review
family was more than partisant
however. Both by intellect and train
ing he was fitted for larger things.
aud by travel and experience he was
intimate with all the great world-pro-
blems Of his day. While the village
news was discussed as in other homes.
the Review family was chiefly busted
| as to the latest move Of Bismark and
the probable course Of Gladstone al
the next by-election.
During all these years the Review
was perhaps the most beloved. certain
~ it was the most exacting, member
Of the family. It was much more
important that the Review should have
q new dress than that the mother Of
the flock should have one. We die
not live off the paper, the paper LIVED
off US. It was the '.raison d'etre'
for the whole family. The editorials
were thought out and talked over ane
hammered into shape, sometimes FOL
weeks. before they appeared in type
and often in single editorial w
could recognize the sayings of every
member Of the fslnily all woven intc
q strong Mosaic by the master HAND
that then guided the destinies of th,
paper. It was the veritable Dor
Quixotism Of journalism.
It was part Of our training thu,
the editorial column of the Review
was our pulpit and the people Of til,
county our congregation. It was i'm
pressed upon Us that the Review eact
week talked to more people than al
the preachers of the county. w,
were told that what we said in the
Review was more important than wha
the minister said in his pulpit. because
the Review was read by 80 many whom
the church did not and could not reach
and that i'll considered advice or 8
questionable morality might effect
the lives Of many. We were laugh,
to approach the editorial columns al
one might enter the Holy of Holes.
| We were taught to take our mis-
sion as editor very seriously. Per
haps. far too seriously. While othel
papers contented themselves Will
colorless reflection of the news, th.
Review thundered and stormed at mel
and things, not because it liked tt
make enemies, not but that it appre-
ciated the value of friendships snt
neighborliness but that the Review
and it's mission" were Of suprem,
Importance. We say it, not Will
pride. but with humility and dee,
sense Of short-coming, that making
the paper pay was always the las
consideration and the least. We can
not honestly blame competitors TO
not liking US. We have fought t,
make the Review the biggest and th'
best and the most dearly believes
paper, just 80 men work to max,
their soDs the strongest and best an,
imost beloved.