Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-17
JOURNALISM ~ ArrERrca.

/ In the GALAXY Tor April, Mr.. L. j.
Jennings makes Mavericks book the tex
for very interesting article upon the late
Henry J. Raymond. In view of the fact
that Mr.. J. was an American correspond
ent of the London Times and Journalist
of high rank on the staff of that paper
and Of the Pail Mall Guzette, the fol.
lowing comparison between the press of
the two countries will be read with in
/ terest:
The result of leaving newspapers TO
manage themselves in this country is that
! they are, as a rule, more enterprlslng than
English newspapers. More money, for
instance, is here spent in a single day
for news than London daily would pay
in week. 1t is nothing unusual to see
whole page of telegraph news in a New
York morning journal. Atlantic cable
messages of a column or two in length
are as common as police report. When
a message of the same kind appeared
lately in London paper, people were
struck with amazement, and the rest of
tAO lOullidtc DlOotAdlt0 luCuASC1hCo III QUSb
and ashes. From three to five columns of
Congressional debates are telegraphed to
New York every night during the session.
1t may be doubted whether the general
staff of London newspaper, with per-
haps a single exception, is better paid
than a staff of corresponding numbers in
New York. A few writers here and there
may receive higher rate of remurera-
ton especially in the case of the exception
to which refer. But put all expenses
together, and the New York paper will
be found to cost the most in its produc.
ton. Reporters in London receive,
have understood, from e. to Ga a week.
Men could not be got to do the same kind
of work here for corresponding price. |
The New York dailies pay more for cdi- !
tOrial articles than their London CO.
always excluding one pa
per from the comparison. Again, the |
chief editors of this country are generally |
part proprietOrs, and have their shares /
given them, or at least acquire them on /
easy terms. Besides considerations of /
this kind, there are other circumstances
which must tend to render journalism
the greatest of all professions in this
country. The people, young and old,
rich and poor, read newspapers. The
journalist is aware that he is addressing an
audience at least fairly familiar with the
questions of the day, and knowing the
history of their own country thoroughly.
The subjects upon which he has to write
are of wide range and vast impoT-
lance. There are thirty-seven sys-
TENS of government for him to
study and watch. New questions are
arising in every State, and all
are different in character, and have to be
approached from different standpoints
TO fit himself for the discussion of the
problems which are daily offer
ng themselves may perhaps be beyond
he powers of any one man but it must
be granted that the ambition to do it ought |
o become grand object of life. The day
will arrive when American journalism will
attract to its service the finest intellccts in
he country. The discipline which Eng
ish Journalists pass through may be of a
everer kind than is universal here; but
hat merely arises from the fact that an
ditor in London who wants good arti-
lie can put his finger at any moment on a
lozen men capable of writing it. Hence
high standard has been formed, and lazy
work is thrown back on the workman's
lands.