Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-05-15
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer
LETTER FROM CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI, May 10, 1878.
Gossip.

CINCINNATI, May 10, 1873.
NEWSPAPER GOSSIP.
The daily press has become power in the
land, second to none. Oratory, formerly so
potent to move the multitude, has to take a
back seat, and even the pulpit finds its infu-
ence less than that Of the press. 1t is the ev-
ery day educator medium through which
the world sees the world. The orator speaks
to but a few hundred people at time, and his
words perisha as soon as uttered, unless thep press
comes to his aid and preserves them. But the
writer who speaks through daily newspaper
talks to ten thousand intelligent beings, and
his words do not perish on the ear, but live
after him. To be at the head of a great daily
is position of far more responsibility and
Importance than to be at the head Of State.
The one is an ornamental figure head, the
other an educator of the people
The press is growing in Importance daily.
More capable men are hold of the helm than
ever before. The newspapers, being the daily
literary food of the people, are far better sup
ported than formerly, and the conductors Of
them are, therefore, better able to pay for ed
itorial brains of the first class. The best wri-
ters of the country are drifting into newspa-
per work. A frst-class writer-especially one
who is able to shove off good deal of matter
on short notice-receives much better pay
from the newspapers for their work than they
can from book and magazine publishers. 1t,
therefore, naturally follows that the writing
brains of the country are being gobbled by
the newspapers. AS an average, frst-class
newspaper men receive from fifty to one hun
dred per cent. better pay than FIVE years ago.
Writers of established reputation find no
trouble in marketing their productions at good
figures, providing always, that they have the
"knack" of writing for the newspapers, which
every one does not have, I assure you. Clev-
ernewspaper writer's are, like poets-born, not
made. Also, like poets, they are seldom fit
for anything else.
And for this reason the "rehash of journal.
ism," recently established in Massachusetts,,
will be failure. They are attempting to
educate men to be editors up there, the same
as they are educated for lawyers and doctors
1t will not work. Outside of a newspaper
Office there is no place to teach journalism
And unless the candidate for journalistic hon
ors has the knack of quick observation and
rapid composition, he will not be success in
the line, no matter how much he has dabbleo
in printers ink and soft paper in his early
days. have never heard Of but one gradu
ate being turned out of the school of jour
nalism," and he went West and got work on
rural sheet at six dollars week. Not being
able to support himself on this allowance, he
resigned his position and went into the lager
beer business where he realizes seven dollars
week and board.
Illustrating the rapid strides of the news
papers it is only necessary to refer to the late
feat of the New York Herald, in employing
four eminent writer's to "do" the Vienna ex'
position, and causing their reports to be for
warded by cable at an expense of not less than
one thousand dollars column. Looking al
the great worlds fair through American eyes
they have John Russell Young, the brilliant
journalist. For an English view they have
Edmund Yates, the well.known novelist
From Germany they have employed two o.
the most eminent writers in the Fatherland