The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-10-21
IAN EDITORS MISSION"
lie Stands as Sentinel to Guard
Civilization, Says Record.

None knows when the first sentinel
= was posted No doubt the caveman
set his son upon 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 is
: civilization. 1t is vast thing, out
reaching the horizon of any human
= eye, always moving, never still. II
represents wealth, achievement, the
accumulated accomplishments of CEN
turtles in knowledge and experience.
1t, too, must have it's sentinels.
Men have said to us that editors
are always finding something the
matter with things. 1t is pity that
the allegation Is not more generally
true. 1t is 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. 1t is not his duty to
note the usual and report it when it
comes. What the sentinel is to an
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 uneatth
concealed dangers, quick to sense the
menace in proposals that are plaus
sible but inherently menacing, as SEN
sitive to illogical conclusions as the !
trained ear is to discord, is a true edi-
torial intellect.
The instinct for the chase which is
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 lin many words.
Thus they offend none. They are i'm
potent, but not harmless. The editor,
on the other hand. who is true to his
profession and dedicated at heart to
the 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 is a 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 :
S the sickroom. The editor, unfor- .
must spend most of his .
ime also at the operating table. .
If we should try to describe all .
hat is good and true and holy and :
eassuring and inspiring in America, :
'ur hand would palsy before the task
iould be accomplished, and there is /.
lot enough white paper on which to g.:
'rint the facts. There is so much I.
more good than there Is bad; so much ::
ondemn. But that which is good
eeds no eulogist, and that which is
ad can never find enough denuncia-
ors. ::
This country and the world needs ::
lore editors who can see straight !;
nd who are not afraid to tell what ::
1ey do see. If those who by their !:
alling are charged with the respon- +:
bility for diagnosing the wisdom of !:
Governmental proposals and the +;
end of events prove incapable or !:
egligent, the people must perish. ::
rogress is not natural thing. 1t !:
won by hard fighting and retained ::
lly in the same way. The tendency !.
mankind is to take the easiest way :
hich is the backward way, and it !.
'quires wise as well as honest lead "
ship to keep moving in the right .
rection. :.
Because he is compelled to see the =
ings that are bad, the editor, !
'ove all other men, knows the good :.
at is in the world. That is why he !:
a great optimist. He, more than !.
~ other, appreciates the magntfi- 4:
nee of the treasure he is called on ]:
guard, and that is why he is so ::
zen to keep the treasure CLEAN :
,Fo ses