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Rejected Manuscript

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 5, 1882

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 38.

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Rejected Manuscript.

By Editor

Not long since a man sent a communication to the Lever, with the request that it be returned if not desired for publication. The article was returned, whereupon the contributor became angry, and stopped his subscription. The Rescue makes the following just comments on this circumstance:—
"If all contributors to newspapers were to take that action, the papers would soon have hosts of enemies. Sometimes an intentionally offensive letter may be tossed into the fire without any regret, but it is safe to say that to reject or decline any communication, prose or poetry, offered in good faith for publication in a respectable journal, is one of the most unpleasant duties an editor has to encounter. Sometimes a good friend sends something which would do neither him or the paper any credit, and if it is declined, the editor has quite as good a right to get into a passion because it was offered, as the writer has to get mad because it was declined. But he doesn't.
"It is much more likely that an editor will strain a point to publish an article which his judgment does not quite approve, rather than offend a contributor whose friendship is a little doubtful, than that he will reject one from a feeling of prejudice against the writer. No two men would always exactly agree as to what is the best to publish, but every two men will agree that the average editor has sense enough not to run any unnecessary chances of making enemies of his friends.
"And it occurs frequently that articles which are quite acceptable get crowded out or overlooked or belated by accident or by the printer's carelessness or mistake, and without any intention. So, after all, when one feels a disposition to get grouty on this subject it would be more consistent and manly to consider that if there is one chance that there may be cause, there are ten chances against it. And it would be a weak and puny journalist who would make his personal friendships at all influence his judgment as to the quality of matter offered for publication."