"An editor is someone who separates the wheat from the chaff and then prints the chaff"

This quote by Adlai E. Stevenson is a metaphor for the role of an editor. The wheat and chaff are symbolic of the content that an editor must examine. The wheat represents the quality material that is worth publishing, while the chaff is the content that is not ideal for publication. The editor must separate the wheat from the chaff, and after that print the chaff. This metaphor is a reminder that an editor's job is to make sure that just the best content is published. It is the editor's obligation to ensure that the material is accurate, pertinent, and of the highest quality. The editor needs to likewise have the ability to recognize the difference between the wheat and the chaff. This quote is a suggestion that an editor's task is not only to choose the very best content, but likewise to ensure that the material is suitable for publication.