The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-17
OPINIONS OF EDITORS AND
PRIVATE CITIZENS

If Jou want 10 find out something
about intolerance 60 into the news
paper business. Then you will find
out that the expression Of opinions
is certain TO cause some people to
write letters to you, scaling down in
the letter TO the editor" or make
remarks about you to other people
These remarks that are made to OH
,,r people sooner or alter get to the
editor, and some of them cause him
to grind his editorial tedth. And yet
We hear much 'eloquence about broad
mindedness, liberal ideas, and free
dom CT speech and the freedom OF the
press. Most everybody will tell you
that they like fer an editor to have
opinions and to express them freely.
They say that they don't like nan
who strikes an equilibrium on the
fence. With some of them We have
concluded that they like for an edi-
ter, or anybody else, for that mat
ter, to have opinions so long as the
opinions agree with what they be-
lieve. Let the editor entertain an
opposite opinion and back it up with
good, strong language, with lit
tic pepper mingled with 1t, and h
will soon hear from some party who
will either want his paper stopped
or be heard of as caustic critic
speaking as one without authority,
like thousands of others just like him
ard like unto the Pharisee.
Consider the plight of the editor.
He must keep delling people what H.
thinks about this or that from day
IL day Also consider the possible
plight of some Of his critics II they
should be compelled to SO completely
unbOsOm themselves. Think of this
and consider how well most editors
get away with the PRONUNCIATION o.
| the contents Of their think tanks
and you will feel like congratulate
ing them. We recall that not LONG
ago homicide took place in this
county The victim was not a person
of good morals or good repute. a
ran who is considered a iirst-class
fellow by those who do not know so
Huch about his peculiarities eA-
pressed the positive opinion that the
slayer should not be punished very
much because his viQtim was not a
good member OF the body politics
Only punish those who kill good peO
pie would be- his motto. Think of
the average that fellow would make
with the critics il he should be COM
PEELED to express his opinions day in
and day out for years to gain his
daily bread!
Some editors make the most
III their tasks with skill that is ad-
riirable. Some Of them are artists in
selecting subjects which cause very
few people to gnash their teeth, no
matter what views are entertained
or what side is advocated. Others are
lucky in striking popular chord
more often than otherwise. Others
are able. by some strange power, to
write column after column without
getting so impartial as to make any
one smart. We know of one news
paper man who can grind out col
rmns without making 1T clearcnough
for you to take an oath on il that
You know exactly what view he m
tcrtains. Yet il is all very enter
taining. lie is an unbeatable artist
AT using words to conceal Thought.
Now and then you find an editor
who says that milk -and-water jour
nalism makes him sick on the s'om-
arh and blazcs away just as hr
Il inks without caring a snap oi his
finger what anybody else thinks
This editor does not keep II up long
II he is not whipped or shot a, pref.
~ soon. the sheriff comes around and
puts the finishing touches on the re-,
tape attending a foreclosure Per-
sacola News.