The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-10-11
IAN EDITORS MISSION.

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None knows when the first sentinel
was posted. No doubt the caveman
SET his son upon a high place to
shout his warning Of impending dan
ger. Armies do not sleep without
keen, wakeful men TO guard them.
More important than any army III
civilization. It il vast thing, OUT
reaching the horizon OF any human
eye, always moving, never still. It
represents wealth, achievement, the
accumulated accomplishments of cen
turtles in knowledge and experience.
It, too, must have its sentinels.
Men have said to us that editors
are always finding something the
matter with things. It is a pity that
the allegation il not more generally
true. II il an easy task to sleep on
duty. Nor is the trained and skilled
sentry apt TO waste his time in call
ing out at the midnight hour that the
stars are twinkling and that all is
peace and quiet. It is not his duty TO
note the usual and report it when it
comes. What the sentinel is to an
army the editor is, or should be, to
civilization and TO national institu-
tions.
An intellect trained in the science
Of close analysis, apt in the ability to
pierce through the false and see the
truth beneath, competent to unearth
concealed dangers. quick TO sense the
menace in proposals that are plaus-
sible but inherently menacing, as SEN
sitiye to illogical conclusions as the
trained ear is to discord, is true edi-
toria1 intellect.
The instinct for the chase which il
thus developed in the editor Is the
warranty of his efficiency. There are
editors, of course, who achieve sue
cess by not thinking. They are CON
tent to say nothing in many words.
Thus they offend none. They are inn
potent, but not harmless. The editor,
on the other hand, who il true to his
profession and dedicated at heart TO
TIE full performance OF the functions
his calling demands of him is inev-
itably a shining mark for the arrows
of those who love sham and hypoc-
risy and hate truth. He III n fighter,
battling today against hypocrisy and
tomorrow against the rattlesnake.
He is no cynic and no pessimist. al
though his pen is forever pointing out
the weak spots and excoriating the
corrupt. The doctor does not bother
with the well; his place OF business
Is the sickroom. The editor, unfor-
tunately, must spend most of his time
also at the operating table.
lie we should try 10 describe all
that is good and true and holy and
reassuring and inspiring In America,
our hand would palsy before the task
could be accomplished, and there is
not enough white paper ON which to
/ print the facts. There is 10 much
more good than there il bad; so much
more to commend than there is to
condemn. But that which il good
needs no eulogist, and that which is
bad can never find enough denuncia-
tors.
This country and the world needs
more editors who can see straight
and who are not afraid to tell what
| they do see. If those who by their
calling are charged with the respon-
| sibility for diagnosing the wisdom oil
governmental proposals and The
trend OF events prove incapable OF
negligent, the people must perish
Progress is not natural thing. II
!, is won by hard fighting and retained
only in the same way. The tendency
Of mankind is to take the easiest way
which is the backward way, and il
requires wise as well as honest lead.
ership to keep moving in the right
direction.
Because he is compelled to see tht
things that are bad, the editor
above all other men, knows the goot
that is in the world. That il why hi
il a great optimist. He, more thar
any other, appreciates the magnif
cence of the treasure he is called OF
to guard, and that is why he is *
keen to keep the treasure clean.
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