Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-09-03
PRESS EXCURSIONS.

PRESS EXCURSIONS.
The public will rejoice to learn that
the season of editorial excursions is not
quite over, and that eyen the prospect OF
meeting the whole world next year at
Philadelphia does not quite sausiy
the longings of some OF our editorial
brethren. Thirty Texas editors are re-
uorted to be in st. Louis en- route for
Chicago, Niagara Falls and other BUSH
ness points. 1t is a well known fact that
no editorial body bent on pleasure hrst
and business afterward ever goes around
Niagara Falls. They gravitate toward
It as a duck takes to water. They are
great sight-seers, and no editors educa-
ton is complete until he has gazed on
the mighty cataract and written up his
opinion of it, that his posterity may read
it in the family scrap-book long alter
Table Rock and Goat Island and the
main oyershot have become things OF the
p~erishable past, Nearly every week all
this summer some editorial fraternity,
rejoicing in free tickets and small black
satchels, has sailed forth from the rural
shades of some one of the great sister
hood of States to make the tour OF the
country, and thereby bring remote Sec
tions into more intimate commercial and
possibly social relations. Exactly what
good has been accomplished we are not
able to estimate. The tourists are gen.
orally in a hurry and have barely time
to accept such Inequalities as may be
rendered by hotels, steamboats, and mu-
inequalities, Board Of Trades, etc. 1t is
questionable whether they accomplish
anything other than having a good time
of it, and exceedingly doubtful
whether they collect and publish many
valuable facts or change the channels of
trade. The average editor, with q few
exceptions in commercial c%enters, knows
less about the laws Of trade than Of pol
itics and other subjects we might men
ton. The press is a power, and it Is
coming to be one of the professions re-
cognized and respected all over the land,
but we doubt whether these junketings
over the country increases the self-res.
pect Of the profession or elevates it in
public estimation. Tennessee has not
sent forth one OF these crowds for seye-
raj years, and we hope never will. There
is toomuch freedom Of the press on
such trips. Men slip in for the sake OF
a free ride who are not properly entitled
TO represent the press. Then there is Q
freedom Of manner and hilaritY very
often that does not inspire admiration.
The Woodworking members Of the fra
ternity cannot afford to be away from
the business so long, and if they eonld,
would not be benefited. There is no
good reason why newspaper men should
not buy their railroad tickets and pay
their hotel bills like other people, athome
and abroad. The acceptance Of these
favors is demorAlizing, and the custom,
as far as It prevails, should be frowned
down. A business which cannot sustain
itself and crooks the knee Of a public
~stipendary onght to fail and is unworthy
Of recognition. There are too many pa
pers in the country anyhow, aud we hope
TO see them weeded out SO that the press
can take its proper position and rise
above sordid Influences. The fever we
have the better, so they are good ones
independent, solvent, and conducted by
conscientious men. And the change is
coming. There are shyster journalists
as we'll as shysters at the bar. The pub.
lie is becoming more discriminating
every gear, and the popular mind is not
satisfied with the slow paced, clumsily
edited sheets that once we're acceptable.
The profession will be better paid as it
improves and unites business tact with
editorial talent and training. But splurg-
ing around the country in pursuit Of
''courtesies and free lunches is not one
OF the means.by which good newspapers
are built up or able editors manufac-
tured.