WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD EDITOR.
Many people estimate the ability of a newspaper, and the industry and talents of its editor by the quantity of editorial matter which it contains. It is comparatively an easy task for a frothy writer to pour out daily, columns of words—words, upon any and all subjects. His ideas may flow in "one weak, everlasting flood," and his command of language may enable him to string them together like bunches of onions, and yet his paper may be a meagre and poor concern. But what is the labor and toll of such a man, who displays his "leaded matter," never so largely, to that imposed on the judicious, well-informed editor, who exercises his vocation with an hourly consciousness of responsibilities, and devotes himself to the conduct of his paper with the same care and assiduity that a sensible lawyer bestows on a suit, or a humane physician upon a patient, without regard to show or display. Indeed, the mere writing part of editing a paper, is but a small portion of the work. The care is the time employed in selecting far more important matter, and the fact of a good editor is better shown by his selections than any thing else, and that we know is half the battle. But as we have said, an editor ought to be estimated, and his labors understood and appreciated, by the general conduct of his paper—its tone—its temper—its uniform, consistent course—its principles—its aims—its manliness—its dignity—its propriety. To preserve these as they should be preserved, is enough to occupy fully the time and attention of any man. If to this be added the general supervision of the newspaper establishment, which most editors have to encounter, the wonder is how they can find room to write at all.—Sel.