The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-17
Especial vote of thanks to this aide soldier
and stanch defender Of the country in the
field and in councili


Newspaper Press Fund Association.
We are confident that our Recommendation
of the establishment of Press Fund Associa.
ton, modelled upon that which has proved 80
successful in London, will meet with hearty
response from the editorial profession and
from the public. Every argument that can DO
urged in favor of all provident cooperation to
anticipate possible want Is applicable to such
an association; and other arguments are
specially applicable to it. In the first place,
the costly education which can alone fully
qualify professional Journalists for proper
discharge Of their duties in the second place,
the social exigencies to which they are liable
involving necessary expense from which they
might otherwise be exempt, in order to ENJOY
access to all classes of society and to maintain
at the same time that honest independence
which is the main source of their power in
the third place, the exclusive and exhausting
nature Of their occupation, which not only cuts
them of from opportunities of money making
invitingly open to Others in a busy commercial
metropolis, but also is such a WEAKNESS to the
flesh and such q burden to the spirit
as, beyond any other occupation, to
hasten premature old age; in the fourth place,
the wretchedly inadequate remuneration which
is their lot in all but few leading journals
which literally recognize the claims of men
the pubic their best energies and their whole
time, cheerfuly risking even their lives, both
in peaae and in war. These and many other
consid erations might be urged in favor Of
establ shing fund to provide o. .s;. enc mise.
ries to which sickness and death may at any
moment expose them or those dependent on
them. Moreover, such fund would be an un-
Objectionable bond Of union between the men,
bers of the profession. It would enable all, of
whatever shade of opinion, to meet ON neutral
ground, where mutual jealousies and partisan
prejudices could be laid aside, where the finest
sympatlies of our common nature could be
exercised, and where our noblest ambitions in
behalf of the press and the public could be
quickened.
AS we have already minated, such an asso.
cidtion as wo propose would be open to none
of tho objections which have hitherto caused
our opposition to "pres5 clubs" and other
Himsy pretexs for subjecting members Of the
press to the mi:chievous influences of Bohe-
milan cliques in the spheres Of literature, poll
tics or business. AS Tor social clubs, there are
enough already which have at least this advan-
tage, that they are not limited to members of
any ono profession. Besides, the perpetual
labors of journalists leave them but little lei
sure for the pleasures Of club life, or even Of
what is far better-family life. They thank
fully seize for sleep the brief interval between
the late hour Of going to press and the early
hour of recommending their daily duties. A
Press Fund that should relieve the anxiety
which tends more than their toll TO embitter
an shorten their lives, would be an immense
benefit to them and their families, and, in
directly, 10 society at large. For our own part,
we shall be most happy to contribute to well
organized and permanent fund established for
so commendable q purpose. The public is
aware ofits Indebtedness to the persons whom
Mr.. Gladstone lately eulogized for their unre-
hitting efforts to supply I" from day to day
ono Of those primary wants Of society,
without which, it is hardly too much
to say, as we comprehend and under
stand it, it could not exist 1t is
really one of the marvels of our age to
reaec. what constant and uninterrupted flo I'd
of instruction, information aud delight now
flows through the medium Of the periodi-
cal and especially Of the newspaper press
upon the whole community" The public,
we repeat, Is aware of its indebtedness to
newspaper writer's and OF the fact stated by
Mr. Gladstone, that its own interests "are
essentially bound up with those of the press"
and it will therefore encourage, and, if re-
quisite, aid the establishment of Newspaper
Press Fund.