Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-08-15

us that the newspapers were afraid to
publish certain articles he had written,
and he might have added that lecture
committees had refused to allow him to
deliver certain parts, or even entire lee
lures. l firmly believe that any inyesti-
gator will discover that although neither
has done its full duty, yet the press has
been quite as faithful as the iyceum in
the cause of right.
And this fact ofthe admitted failure in
completely performing duty, naturally
brings us to the last topic Of our subject
prompting the questions Why such a
failure And how can it be avoided here
after? To the absence of proper esprit
de corps can be traced many of the de-
ficiencies, errors and evils of journalism
The inyiolable purity of the judicial err
mine, which is the goal of the true law
yer's ambition, purges the legal profes-
sion of those whom incapacity or depra-
witty renders unfit to be among its mem
bers; because when once q lawyer pros
titutes his legal knowledge or position,
he forfeits all claim to advancement, or
even recognition, in that vocation. If
the severe code OF ethics framed by the
American Medical Association is fair
basis upon which to found an opinion
about the doctors, we may safely con-
clude that their profession is not one
whit behind Its sisters in endeavoring to
keep clear of all members who would do
it dlscredit by lack of either principle, of
knowledge or of wit. While among the
clergy, black sEeep is soon detected and
expelled; and poor preacher is sure to
find his level in humdrum country
parish, a college profeSsorship, or in the
employ of some association benevolently
desirous of being paid to help the suffer
ing. aa.s
In each of these professions we find
existing pervading zeal for the profess
ions honor, which rids it of all incompe-
tent persons; which engenders among
the members such professional selt-re-
spect- as to command the homage of out
siders which gives youthful aspirants to
its honOrs due sense of the magnitude
Of the task which they are anxious to un-
dertake. On the other hand, among the
journalists there is no such guildfeeling
to prescribe that fitness of natural abil-
tiles, of education and of character shall
be necessary participation in the duties
and dignities allotted tc the editor, to de-
mand that the general public shall refuse
to accord the same rights rs members of
the Press to one who forgets, and TO one
who remembers, that he is gentleman,
while he uses the pen, the scissors or the
pencil there is not that selfrespeet
which reads out OF the plle those who in
any way disgrace profession, which
shows to the outer world that quacks
and vile creatures are dropped from the
rolls Or regularly accredited ed tors; there
is nothing to restrain young men from
professional habits, so long as they see
that knavery is at a premium and equal
ly talented worth is below par
Journalism never will nor can attain
the rank it deserves, and ought to gain,
until it is fully acknowledged of itself
and of the world, as ProteSsion; true,
in our everyday speech We call it such,
but always with mental reservation
that the term is used for convenience,
not fitness. When it shall be rs disgrace
full and unprofessional for an editor to use
even mild blllingsgate, to publish immor-
al advertisements or indiscriminate puffs
and to allow personal feeling to bias his
public Judgment, as it is for n lawyer to
want courtesy Of his fellows at the bar,
to defend inexcusable guilt or to foment
litigation, and as it is for physician to
play upon the fears and credulity of patti
ents, representing their disease as more
dangerous than is the actual fact, for the
purpose of gaining credit for supposed
cure, or dosing them to their harm for
the sake of a fee, then journalism will
a young man shall be able to attend a
journalistic school and there learn from
experienced editors what to do, how to
do, where to do, rs a member OF the Press,
before he attempts to shine as a writer
of leading articles, as critic or even re-
porter, then newspaper English will
cease to be byword, and Bhoehemian-
ism will be a tradition. When editors
are adequately paid for their previous
preparation and actual labors, it will no
longer be the case that men must be over
eager for irregular hours and hard night
work in an air-tight Office, before they
prefer journalism with fixed yearly sal
ary of three thousand dollars, to law and
medicine with an annual income of five
thousand dollars and special fees OF fifty
thousand. a-.s. e.-
Together we have curiously examined
journalism as compared with other pro
fessions, and its relations to the commu-
nity at large. We have found that the
efficacy of the system is hidden both by
the lack of proper esprit de corps and
by poverty of pay. ......
The first obstacle must be removed by
efforts within the rank of journalists and
the County and State Editorial Assocla-
tions iatel ! organized will eventually do
the service; the patrons of Journalism
are responsible for the second obstruc-
ton, and can put that out of the way by
GIVING their protection and support only
70 papers who strive to elevate and puri-
fv public taste and morals. When the
Golden day comes that the master, the
People, and the servant; the. Editor, join
hands for mutual improvement, Journal
ism will be acknowledged as the greatest
civil power for restraining the vices, en-
II i ~, al