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Show THE TROUBLES OF EDITING A MAGAZINE. It is a remarkable fact that nearly every individual, regardless of his education, training and experience, knows exactly how a newspaper news-paper or magazine should be edited. If the editors of papers and magazines were to compile a list of the individuals they have met who could tell them just exactly what should and should not go into a public publication in order to make it successful, we would have a record more voluminous than the compiled volumes of the Congressional Congres-sional Record. While walking to our daily grind the other day we were accosted on the street by several people. The greeting of the first one was, "1 saw a copy of your paper the other day and read the story on a certain cer-tain phase of our industrial development which strikes me as being just the right kind of stuff and you can count on me for my support so long as you continue those kind of stories." The next man we saw said, ."1 have been reading your paper but I do not think very much of those industrial stories, they don't make very good reading and you ought to cut them out." Another man said, "I have just read the story in your paper on 'Belle Brandon,' and I was shocked, I would not take such a story into my home." Another party said, "I picked up a copy of your paper in the club and saw that 'Belle Brandon' Bran-don' story ; it is one of the most fascinating things I ever read. I want you to put my name down for two subscriptions, send one to my home and one to my mother." Another party said, "I have been reading read-ing your paper carefully and I like the entire contents, I am especially pleased that you do not have any of that society slush in it." The next party said, "You are getting out a pretty good paper, but I will have to discontinue it because my wife misses your society items, you certainly ought to have a column on society." And so it goes, some are pleased and some are not pleased, but v, rest assured of this fact that everybody knows exactly how to run a successful newspaper or magazine ; one that will appeal to everybody alike. So let us join the Optimists' Club and rest assured that if we fail in any other business we can always go into the magazine or newspaper business and be eminently successful because that is the one business that everybody knows. |