Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-11
Our Duty.

pdQeT Is calculated lot class OF PEG.
pie who are searching for the solution
of all soxts of problems. The readers
Of editorial columns and analytical
articles in the press and magazines.
are of the thinking class, as whole
more intelligent, more responsible. and
more worth while in a community,
than is the class that includes the peo-
pie who search only for the sensa-
tional, the spicy and the suggestive.
The first is seeking useful information
from the interpretations of educated
and thinking writer's: the second Is in
terested only in that which pleasurably
excites a more or less depraved taste.
Every successful newspaper now
maintains an editorial department sup
ported by its own writer's and by 9TH
ers who contribute on topics of educa-
tional and human uplift merit. The
class of editorial readers is constantly
growing for many and varied reasons.
Perhaps the most significant reason is
that the average man of the street has
an increasing pride in his grasp of
general affairs, and he finds that the
chap who always understands best
every subject under discussion is the
chap that is reading the editorials in
one or more good newspapers. Thus
is the first mans personal interest and
pride stimulated to read and work out
for himself some of these problems
with the aid of editorial writer's.
And again, teachers in our public
schools are making practice of read
ing or having read in the schools,
daily, some of the editorials of care
fully edited family newspapers. In
deed the editorial reading habit has
become so prevalent in recent years
that several magazines have sprung up
which confine themselves wholly to
what they deem the best thought of the
day. editorials clipped, reprinted and
credited to newspapers from every cor
ner of the land. In one of these
magazines in twelve months appeared
35 editorials from the Kennebec Jour-
nal. OF course some other papers
were represented much greater num-
Der of times.
Some Of the larger newspapers
maintain staff of high salaried edi-
torial writer's, several men. each an ex-
pert in certain line: but the smaller
dailies usually afford only one or two
'all around" ready writer's, men who
have served as reporters and have be-
come conversant with local, national
and world affairs from long service
and constant study. And sometimes
these men are first to discover and re-
veal the real meat in the nut.
Sometimes persons of cock sure con-
victions who know much less than they
think they do. insist that nobody
reads editorials; if you want folks to
see anything put 1t on news page"
That is true if folks" includes only the
unthinking, the sensation monger and
the big news eater. But the moral and
financial supports of the best family
newspapers are not based on that class,
but on a rather more advanced and in
telligent class, and when the editor of
such a newspaper wishes to place
something of distinctive worth, edu-
cationally or as moral food, where it
will be observed and read, he places 1t
on the editorial page If possible.
Many times persons who know more
about the EDITORS business than he
does, post him as to the error of his
ways, and frankly tell him that he
doesn't know anything at all about
what the people read or want. But
that is part Of the returns for an
editors time; he accepts it. and goes
cording to his experience. convictions
and judgment. Life is too short to
discuss the question with all those who
know all about newspaper making but
who lack the time or opportunity to do
more than instruct the editors they
know.
All this was called out by a letter
from "A Friend" who forgot to sign
his name but notified us that we don't
know enough, to go in out of the rain
or we'd have had brains enough to
publish Wilson's election last Wednes-
day morning instead Of trying to steal
1t and fool your readers" He says we
have lied about the President and the
Democratic party in our editorials
but nobody reads EN-"
Speaking of letters. here is another
and somehow we feel that the editorial
page is the best place for it:
Mr.. Editor: Lest we forget. in
these times of worldwide turmoil
and strife. that the future of a
great Christian nation depends on
the young people. a committee
from our church is sending the
enclosed letter among the parents
in our community, and we hope