The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-05-26
Newspaper Visitors.

llt llE ~ DlldHtt man - A4No ftll AZ h'N
be a place where visitors realize what
busy mans time is worth, where
everyone knows everything and don't
have to ask the editor-but don't
know so much that they want to tell
the editor how to run his paper. -
Deerfeld Valley Times.
There is a mixture of truth and
falsity in this observation. The news
paper mans Office is supposed to be
he abiding place of knowledge on
everything under the sun. OF course
II isn't, but it does happen to be the
resting place Of many valuable books
# reference and quick-helps to in
formation. Consequently the custom
has grown OF people calling up a
newspaper Office to settle all kinds of
disputes ranging from the number Of
times the German crown prince has
been killed during the present war TO
the family name OF the King Of
Greece's second married sister-if he
has one. Such questions after all are
welcome, they help create the atmos-
phere of the newspaper office.
AS for visitors, God bless EN-!
What would the editor do without
them? There are visitors and VISIT
org. And, after everything is said and
done. they are welcome. They serve
their purpose and it is a good one. If
there is any man in the world who
ought TO brush elbows with all men OF
every degree and station it is the
newspaper editor who earnestly seeks
10 reflect public opinion and at times
! is even so bold as to attempt TO lead
| it. Conversation is one of the best
| OF all mental tonics, one OF the great
est OF all developers There never
Is a time in this Office, at least, (and
without doubt Il is true of all Others
| in the state) when the visitor will not
receive kindly welcome and an in
yitation to hang up his hat and dis
course either on the state of the ma
ton or who is likely to be elected
town fence viewer at the next elec
ton.
But the fellow who knows how tc
run the paper. He is the limit and
his number is legion. Ordinarily he
is mighty good chap friendly an(
generous in his impulses. But wher
il comes 10 newspapers, that is his
stronghold. 1t is the easiest thinl
in the world to run newspaper-un
I'll you start out to do it, and ther
you begin to learn things from tn,
drop of your hat and will continue L
learn until the last bit of sod Il
dropped on your coffin.
This isn't realized on the outside
As eX-Lieutenant-Goyern How,
says, and he is newspaperman o
long experience, every other profes
sion is able to conceal its mistakes
The doctor follows his to the cemeter,
The lawyer hides his away in lon
terms of legal bubble and technical
: ties. The dentist puts a gold ca
on his. The merchant gives wron
weight and either wins or loses b
the transaction, but il is covered u
I anu iANNi AhAlANe w Alt lAEAi VI AhA
But with the newspaper, there /
never any bubble. When a news
paper makes a mistake there It stand
in black and white and cannot be hit
den at all The lawyer can take a
the time IN the world to prepare hi
case, but the newspaper man start
with nothing in the morning and mus
have his finished product out in tn
middle of the afternoon. There IS n
time for lengthy consideration or mil
ute examination. The wonder is thJ
/ newspapers measure up to the stan,
ard that they do; not that they max
v the occasional mistakes of which the
unquostionably are guilty.
Hut even the man who knows no
to run the raper is welcome. II ma
be that he actually knows somethlr
n that Is worth while 1t is well
listen to his advice anyway. II cos
nothing, and YOU don't have to tai
it, lie is welcome also. let II be +
peated Oftentimes he adds to Il
gaiety Of life and offers amusemen
which is apt to be the more hilario,
the more serious he Is. So WELDON
IS on the mat TO all. Every day
the editors receiving day. The Lol
4 knows he would be lonely IL the
didn't come in; he knows that
would miss needed stimulus to h
} work II he was shut up in the cell
a monastery Adams Messenge
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