New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-05

a l.,t,
Against ali such lie earnest and sincere young
Journalists who constitute the hope Of the profession,
will pcIsstcutly set their faces One Of tho best re-
cults. indeed Of the proposed collegiate tiam,ng |
would he the fostering OF n professional feolrV |
which would make sUch inN3SinnS ulStepu'ahle |
Physicians 50 dospiSc the latert Pill OF MttSia pIc
90n tac 9 hS ' rs RGl Gm We eGa coo in
time 90 n similar esprit &c corps. When tire
profession of jour alism is thoroughly organized ana
Icroo.lzcd cl.aTiatanTy may still abound bat there
will be summary discipline lor the Quacks'
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING.
At tie outset Of any plans for professional train
ing il is nccdu TO recognize the imperative hmita-
tons of the work. Noschool of journalism however
elaborate or successful. is going 10 make Editors;
Just as Mr.. Paclard's commercial college, with all
the skin and fervor II commands. cannot maze
Stevnr,s md Claains Nor will any such school fur
nish the education which Editors need. That Is an
ACQUISITION 10 lie heCUn in the best 2cadclnleS ana
colleges If The country, and TO DC seeu?uslS pds"c.
through all stages of tho proleSSOnai career;
Neither viii il undertake to teach shorthand
writing. That is something not ct al neediul 70 an
Editor, unlss Ire means 20 assume also the duties OF
Reporter ard. Of ;ny Iaie IS oeSt oaincc ~ plac
tcc No more viii 1t teach tvpe-Sctting Nonah
oupht 10 he in authority ahout a rewtpaptr on'Ccc
who does not understand at least the rnulnen'so on
Typography; Int for these the best school IS TIE
CoinpGosinroon;, AnG to Pass beyQnd t tneSS
mon 10 w,itc. though, Heaven knows that is saoy
enough needed, rs every busy Edior, yet weary
with tie work Of puttsug the Hon. EiYah FSonH
card iu.o WCSout.llc shape, or tr3naaimg
tie aur1y reply of Congressman SimphIns INTO
English. VIII ties fly. No man VINO has not
served an apprenticeship 10 1t can imagine the
hopeless way IN hch many even of our best edn-
Gated men play havoc with their parts OF speech
when Grt Turned ooso IN pnnhng10inee ;mTTino
4, the proof II adcT-of all men-ior not knowing
what thcy wanted TO write, when his business was
90 see &C. i that The t1Tcs printed what they oil
not Good writer's but good tdi0rs ana u Is on
tbsir p-rLlc training in school Of Journalism. to
a., q In mo Ts
no additional features Of university ms rucjlol
Ike tie school Of mines. OF medicine, or law that
1 have been asked to speak. 80 -
The lecturer ilcn considered the outline OF the |
work su,, p.of Ssi0aa school Of journalism might
N ihe history # Political parties IN Common, Con-
st;frtonal ard International Law, Political Econ |
omy. Loeic. History, Modern LahFuates, tne PIN
cirlcs O. Criticism. fnRiish heia1lne' &C; &C: |
DC concluding: In eject tho modern Jour |
palsi viih what skin and power lie may lnrst well
lrbisrrivince No SEPARATE school is kelly now or |
soon to be founded for such corrse But more than
cosidcIi;lg whether such studieS-many of them al
ready taG.ht in some form or Other-Injght not nc
arpTcpratcly combined, into special department.,
ar n Io.f Graduate course, which would at least
command as large 2ttentante as many OF t!o'e
now enjoying tie support OF our best 1nsItu-
tiops and the services Of our rpest scholars.
II will bo objected that al this pTcsuppoes jour
ualisl r the highly-edneated ieT-D9t tof tie
masses But who has not learned that the masses
ore the acutcst and most oXactmg GnlcS 1ven
your Prima Donna cCrtSeys indeed to tie pres
cenium boxes add the dress circle, but sings to The
top tier. IF have made any success whether rs
nrtlor or editor" said the Stone Mason Of Gro
marty, the most fascinating sdCnuEc author ot his
day and the most successful editor in LIS country
for lie last half contUIy it has been by constantly
writing UP ia my audlCncC-ueYeT wiring Gown 10
tneIpD The Woodworking mechanic who looks
second time at the Jour PENNIES which would alinoSt
pay his fare down town. heiO.e sled
ing them for tie morning, paper, y a35 to
want his four cents worth. and very likely to know
when he has rot IT, He may hot be able to anaiyze
his opinions but he knows, my friend of the qqill;
when yOur article was writer because you Ia0
something TO ray, and when because you wanted TO
furnish some copy when YOU undeIstand your sub
ject, and when, III default Of exact KNOWLEDGE, YOU
are substituting lant for reason; re Gecsn
want fine Nrling but he wants the finest wiring
that is the Writing which nobody nolcts,
because it is the mere medium for line thinking
QUICK JUSTICE FOR LIBELERs
There are needed reforms in the profession which,
under such influences, we may hope The sooner TO
attain First among these reckon an increasing
sense Of responsibility fer the printed word-tlrown
heedlcssly from the weary pen at midnight but
borne with the Gaylreak to the attention and conf
deice or ICiy thousand homes. 10 mead Or mar some
mans honest name. With this viii come an mcLc&s-
inc If TIE wrong every editor does the Whole
profession WHO permits bis press to become the We
hce either for actual SANDER, or for that reckless
triiug With character ana that INVASION or personal
concerns when MAKE SO marked feature OF many 81
our most successful newspapers look indeed fer an
alsolute revolution in the attitude OF the whole
slander and libel. 1t has been common to
regard these as, laws for the persecution ct
tsuiy were. But to-day they ought to be among
the most val;.ale agencies for its protection for
one ToioiCe ia the institution OF every libel SUIT Tor
which H. .ie sthe color Of Justification: and count
every far conviction for libel gain to the cause OF
decent juurna m. We lose standing aud Iniiu-
encc h. cause our liberty runs into license. Were
every al SANDER whereof correction on due apphca-
ton aud proof las been refused remolseesSy prose-
cuted 10 convict and ineXOraile punishment we
should have Reason to CanOnZc alike prosecutor and
Judge. No higher service can be rendered Journal
is.n to-day than b. making IT responsible Tor what
IL says. and giving the huublest citizen whom Its
gigantic power may puIposcly wrong easy and cheap
justice. Ny private opinion is that the press
of Ncw-i ok, during some months past. would
have been vastly helped by libel suit day. Ii the
journal with which l am myself connected came in
forIt share of them so much the better 1t would
bc deserved discipline, if we have done any q
wrong ana refused correction. IL would make easier
the business Of enforcing caution and fair dealing
on the hundred ASSISTANTS, whose several judgments
must he more less trusted III making up every |
issue. Ii would give 10 every word We did utter an
additional weight, ana 1t would deprive the bad |
men we exposed of their presenG ready answer, "Oh
that doesn't amount TO anything; the newspapers |
abuse ever body" 1t is an i'll day for journalism |
when people do rot care what the newspapers say |
against them. 1t Is an III day for the country when
people do care and cannot get their wrongs re- |
dressed IL viii be better Tor both when justice Is
cheap and journalism Is just.
OTHER REFORMS IN TIE PROFESSION.
Another reform mentioned was better compre- |
honsion Of the scope of the news which Is the |
iife-Llood Of the paper and an extension of news
gathering to higher fields than those yet cult |
waited. The Lecturer continued: With these larger
capacties, we may hope too for some of the
sanctions Of a profession: There was a vealy
period in cur Journalistic development when |
young men. with favor Of Byron and bad beer |
about them. pIated of fair Bohemia, and held 1t
noble TO believe nothing but TO write IKE a
beli.voT for anything that would pay. Bat the |
age Of fair bohemia is gone, and the seody, dsrepu-
table Bohemian Lays superfuous on the stage Law |