Connecticut western news., 1879-07-02
Journalism as a Profession.

Ine N0C1OTI, QlscuSS1ng NIT. WnlGelaW Reid's address before the New York Press Association, declares categorically that "iournalism is not a profession and cannot be made one." In giving its reasons for this conclusion it first says that if journalism is profession it diff fers from other professions in this re- spect that it "involves the use of 8 large amount of fixed capital" In fur ther explanation of it's position the Ma ton says:
 "A very slight attention to the actual conditions of professional career will show how utterly unprofessional news paper work must always be. A young man, for instance, who wishes to prac- tice at the bar knows that if he acquires certain amount of technical knowledge he will be admitted to advise clients and argue cases. By careful preparation and compliance with established rules he can, with certain amount of educa- tion, be almost confident of fair suc- cess. He'is beside charged with i'm portant and responsible duties as an officer of court. Journalism holds out no such career as this. Success in 1t requires peculiar combination of facul- ties, sense of what the public are ln- terested in, combined with a literary faculty, and power of making use of other peoples literary faculties, which nobody can acquire by study or imita- tion. Its [iournalism's import ance in modern times arises chiefly from the fact that it furnishes what the world has never had before-a constant medl- um for argument, explanation, exhorta- tion, criticism and debate by that class which inherits the worlds best tradi- tions of thought and conduct, and which before the invention of the newspaper could speak with but mufhed and ln- distinct voice.
 We cannot find in all this any ground for ruling journalism out of the list of professions unless the Nation has for that word some meaning with which we are not acquainted. Worcester defines s profession to be ''a calling, an occu- patton, business, employment especial ly an employment requiring learned education The fact that journalism requires capital in order to make it's work effective does not divest that work of the character of employment, and the Nation has often argued that the failure of much editorial work IS due to lack of that education and study without which no editor can attain the highest success. xt
 The Nation's notion of profession seems to be calling which can be fol- lowed with no more capital than IS re- quired to buy a few law books and which allows the persons devoted to it to carry it on in their own way and without re- gard to the wishes of their employers. If this view is correct the highest type of professional men must be sought among those unsuccessful lawyers, phy- sicians and preachers who have never had any clients, patients or hearers be- cause their eccentricity has led them to discard the methods and practices which experience has made the world believe to be correct.
 It seems to us thai person who can demonstrate that he is among the few who possess that "peculiar combination of faculties which the Nation comedies to be necessary in successful journalism. and who can make successful "medi- um for argument, explanation, exhorta- tion, criticism and debate," has right to classify himself as belonging to 8 profession which occupies pretty im- portant place in the worlds affairs. NeaU York Everaiag Post.