Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-04-20
rmn nnrroR,e TRIA1s.

W. THE BDKIUhCD THtAiAAo'
J..E. Junkin, editor Of the Ster-
ding Bulletin and one Of the mildest
hammered men who ever took the
hide off an opponent with lead pen
Gil. was in Topeka the other day ana
to q reporter he said some things
about the newspaper profession that
IL would be well for the rest OF the
world to think about.
ut 10 indeed funny business,
said Mr.. Junkin, there's no other In
the world like 1t. Lawyers, doctors,
merchants, mechanics and unskilled
laborers all have their holes, but
there Is no place for the editor to lay
his head. When he is in trouble
he has no hole. After the smoke OF
hattie has cleared away, after tine
spring election is over the doctor
goes back to his pills, and no one
seems to bother him again; the law
YER slips into court, and what he said
is forgotten, the other classes ana
conditions OF men fade into the DacK-
ground and become part of the land
scape. But the editor sticks up ike
sore toe in high wind. What ne
said, and what they thought he said
and what he should have said ana
never said, and what he might nave
said, but didn't, assume an historic
inheritance, and men lay awake at
nights hating his internal arrange
ments. If he stands by the ticket
he is accused of bossing the town, II
he takes to the brush he Is called a
coward who is playing both sides, II
he clearly indicates that he doesn't
care q tinker's obstruction whether
school keeps or not, both sides claim
he is secretly helping the other SIDE
ats a funny business. A funny
business.
Gust now they are holding an In
dignation meeting in Sterling and
passing the hat to start a new paper.
And /, who for twenty long years in
Sterling have been for every good
movement, who have set up miles OF
advice, asking the people to vote
bonds and boost the town, who have
Stood for good roads, good schools and
railways, and public improvements
of every kind, am called an old
knocker. And all why?-Heavens
knows; l don't. Because l get cross
ways and on the nerves of lot OF
good fellows who are doing some
thing or other that I didn't care
about much one way or another. But
still am a knocker, and what Is
more I'm a double dealer and an In
triguer, and every other fighting word
in the dictionary. AND why? I'll
tell you why-because run a news
paper. II l was the gentlemanly
chamberlain in a livery stable, II l
was the urbane proprietor Of the
Palace barber shop, II / took In and
done law and abstract and insur-
ance, If / pounded pills and sold cot
ton batting, ran laundry or beat
carpet, could live a simple and
peaceful life with only debts and
transgressions to load me full of woe.
But running a newspaper I am soak
ed with public sorrow. It's all part
of the business. must take my
medicine; l put my hand to the lever
of the old Washington hand press
in the unthinking days OF my youth
and now that am old can't look
back.
cts funny business.
IN times of great publ, stress
the election of a member of the
school board or the choosing by a
sovereign people of candidate for
the council, the editor. whose real
business ia to furnish reliable me-
dunn for the purveyor of prunes.
and farm implements, drugs, paints
and spiral corsets to advertise HE
wares, the editor becomes a storm
center. Nay, more, he is doormat,
a kicking post, a red rag and a cau-
sus belli all wrapped in one neat
package and sold at dollar a year
He has no right, title nor interest
to his own opinion, his soul Is NOR
tagged and he can't breathe without
metre nor think without having
his motives set upon by the coroner
and subjecting his afterthought to
cross examination. In such times
MS these some man with whom he has
lived ns neigbor and friend for thir-
~ years takes the street like mad
dog-yelplng and Needing in rage
He carries the paper folded to show
A. fnfaunnve ttann. he nafnfa the fin.