Item

Octave Thanet on the Woes of the Weekly Newspaper Editor

Beacon
May 10/1894
The Country Editor
The woes of the weekly newspaper publisher, or “country editor,” as the daily papers sarcastically terms, him, form the theme of a readable sketch by “Octave Thanet” in the May Scribner. “Octave Thanet,” who is known in private life as Miss Alice French, is a lady of charming manner, and gifted and observing withal. When at home her address is Davenport, Iowa. On one occasion she visited SA, and so pleased was she with the manner in which the Beacon championed the “cause of the place, that she became a yearly subscriber. Whether she has drawn any inspiration for her article from reading the pages of the Beacon we know not, but she certainly appears to possess an intimate knowledge of the trains and tribulations that the editorial flesh on a weekly paper is heir to. For the weekly editor has troubles that the city writer wots not of. the idea the city man possess that life with the “country editor” is one perpetual holiday exists only in his imagination. The successful “country editor” has to have an “all-roundedness” about him that is not required of the toiler on the daily press. he must be acquainted with every department of his profession, and be a combination of editor, reporter, printer, proof-reader, press-man, engineer, financier, circulation-boomer and “devil,” all in one. When the city writer sends his “copy” to the printer that is the last he sees of it until it appears in print, but not so with the “country editor,”; he has to follow it through all of its stages. Frequently he has to “set up” the matter himself, and frequently he has to ‘grind” the press himself. he is expected to be able to indite editorials equal to any of the gild-edged writers on the city press. His “locals” must be written up spicily, and when he descends to humor he must supply something equal to the best that Mark Twain or Bill Nye has produced. Being brought into closer contact with his readers than the city writer, he has to be more circumspect in his writings, otherwise he will be in perpetual hot water. if he says a good word for the “Grits” his Tory subscribers, who are thin-skinned, at once elevate their spinal columns and intimate that they will stop their paper and withdraw their advertising, and if he should err in the opposite direction, a like disaster is threatened by his “Grit” readers. If he keeps on the even tenor of his way, and does not allow these trifles to disturb his serenity, he is accursed of being too blamed independent for his own good. he is expected to publish all the local news of the neighborhood, but Heaven help him if he should tread on anybody’s corns in so doing. If a leading citizen misbehaves, the editor is expected to overlook his offence or deal lightly with his “eccentricities,” but if some poor devil, who has not a groat nor a friend in the world, commits a misdemeanour he must be “lashed” within an inch of his life. If John Brown gets drunk and destroys his neighbour’s property, the fact must be written up in such a way that none of the aforesaid Brown‘s friends will take offence. if the opposite should happen there is a vacuum on the subscription list at once. If Bill Smith breaks into a store and steals everything he can lay his hands on, the editor will be blamed by Bill’s friends if he takes any notice of the fact, and if he fails to do so, a score of others will be after him. the editor is expected to expose all the humbugs, denounce all the wrong-doers, hold up to public view all misdemeanants, censure all public officials who fail to do their sworn duty, do all the “dirty work” of the community , subscribe to every scheme of benevolence, be patient with al the cranks who daily assail him, fight for the community in season and out of season, and all this for the honor of it, a few shekels in advertising. and $1 a year.
            Yet there is a bright side to the “country editor’s” life. Perhaps “Octave Thanet” will write it up in her own charming manner. If not, we may do so ourselves on some future occasion.