The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-30
THE KANSAS EDITORS.

They're here. Who? Why, the edi-
tors Of the newspapers OF Kansas, of
course They don't look It, you say.
Well. maybe not. Certainly they don't
look or act much like the editors one
has been accustomed to read about in
novels, or that one has seen depicted
on the stage. There is no semblance
between their appearance and that Of
a cadaver. They haven't that frenzied
and CLASSY stare Of the eyes which is
complement to lean and hungry stom-
aches. Their hair, if they have any,
is not shaggy and unkempt- Neither
is there three or four days growth
of stubble on their faces. Nor are
their clothes torn and tattered, with
trousers frayed out at the ends, and
a stray toe seeking recognition here
and there through a broken shoe.
No. indeed! The Kansas editors pre-
sent no such pictures, Rather do they
look like a selected group of the most
prosperous bankers on the earth. They
are sleek, and well groomed. The noise
they generate as they pass by sounds
like prosperity and contentment Best
of all their faces are wreathed with
smiies-not the superciiious smiles of
scorn, but the happy smiles of optim-
ism. Regardless of their more or less
continuous fault finding with this and
that. they know-their intimate associa-
ton and experience with all sorts and
conditions of men and life have taught
them-that behind each cloud is silver
lining and in some instances it is gold.
Editors, being human, have their
faults, their frailties. just as have 9TH
l$xxsl
uals But the faults and frailties of
the Kansas editors have never doomed
up large on the horizon. Such as they
are have. ever been negatived by good
works. And these are legion. They
have played an important part in the
development of Kansas. For six days
of every week, with ar OCCASION
ally Sunday sneaked in on the
side behind closed shutters, the
Kansas editors have labored and
are laboring for the welfare of their
communities and their state. You may
impugn selfish motives. You may say
that as a town, a city or a common
wealth grows, SO much larger is the
opportunity for the editor to extend
his business and thereby benefit him
self and fatten his pocketbook. But
that's not the controlling reason for
this sort of editorial activity in Kan
sas. Deep down in the heart of ninety
nine out of every hundred of Kansas
editors is an all-abiding love for his
home town and the wonderful state of
which 1t forms part. 1t is a pleas
ure for him to wax as eloquent as he
can in singing their praises, in helping
to boost them along to larger and bet
ter things. If a modicum of profit comes
to him thereby. he is assuredly enti-
tied to it. 1t is never commensurate
though, with the service he renders.
And because the editors of Kansas
are such a fine lot of fellows, because
they are doing such a fine work for
the advancement of their communities
and their state, Topeka is highly hon
ored in having them congregate here
again for the annual meeting of the
Kansas Editorial association. It is to
be hoped that they will have a pleas
ant time. If they don't am effort will
will be made to provide them with one
the next time they come. May that
be soon. And although the editors are
living exemplars of that truism that
the pen is mightier than the sword, it
might be well for such Of them as have
desires to round out their lives in leg
islative careers to take few lessons
in prize fighting-or as it is more po-
litely termed, the manly art of self
defense.