The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-11-30
JOURNALISM.
A Practical Article for Young Men
Who Want to be Editors and
Weld O Moral Influence.

sioux CI,y Journal.
All the way from the university OF
a far distant state comes To us an ap-
plication for position on the Journal
a. an editorial writer. Ii comes from
y young man who says he has been
pursuing special course Of study
with view Of adapting journalism as
profession.
He has about finished his course
and desires 10 enter Immediately upon
his life work. The yourg gentleman
writes that from early youth his am
bitioD has been To WELD a moral III
Huence. and he sees no hope If exer-
ci>ing this influence save as IL Journal
Isl. He has tasted of science. If ian
gusee. ii philosophy: has l.bored To
form style which he could use with
effect has sought ont new paths. and
endeavored To make Few paths where
he found none. His knowledge of POI
litical history. law and political econ
omy he thinks would enable him to
discuss the average questions of the
dav intelligent!y.
In treating questions of social inter
est. his knowledge of social economy
might not prove amiss. As journal
ist he would keep his life purposes be-
fore him. In his paper he would in
trDdnce rev features-to old ones he
would give the charm at novelty. In
political discussions he would shun in
significant partyi>m> "r personal re-
MISUNDERSTANDING save fair pre-
sentation of party principles aud party
interest. As manager he would exer-
else judicious economy; as editor, un.
firing energy and brain.
The young gentleman is NO doubt
honest and sincere in his statements,
bu, they weigh nothing with nm ex-
perieDcsd newspaper man. Journal
lists sre nat turned out Of universities
ready made. journalism is a pro
fess,on which can only be mastered
after long Years of sctive service on
the same principle that to he good
lawyer, or y successful minister. or
mechanic. one must have
pracricn! experience, and can attain
prominence only after long years Of
patient labor.
Young men ob leaving colIege arc
apt To think they could shape th
des,inies of naticn it they could only
get CONTROL of the columns of some
Perhaps young gradu-
ate does get an opportunity To
write editorial. fur some country
weekly. He launches bolt aud then
anxious!y awaits the report. tie
generally waits in vain. aud is both
panied and chasrined to find ou: that
his majestic u.terance- nave attracted
no attention whs,ever. Perhaps h.
gets a Position "n one 1T tae biz
iaiiies. and with y proud heart h.
hands in I" the msnaging editor y long
,rticle over which he has spent several !
lays and nights in writing and re- !
writing, nnIy To he mortified a!mos: tn |
iea.h " the Hstier-ofiac: chief tell
ny him tn cut the thing down tn two |
';ickf,IS. even IL he does not tell him !
he paper has ;ro room for sny such !
'tufi.
He may further tell the young man
3 hose ambition IL is to WELD iufiu-
nee. that they want no opinions from
him they only want news, and tina,
n q condensed, concise form. The
oneeit may further be tsken GU, Of
he young man by being detailed to
write UP the stock yards, or cent tn
1T the prints in a scandal case and
old tina, he must get his report into a
'slf column and have his copy in bv
! oclnck. sharp. This doing nncon-
,enial work, and doing il on the jump
rith no time for elaborate glowing pc
iods and eloquent pe,oraiions. is Il
ew experience. and five to one be
makes n fiat failure. and Is chagrined
'eyond measure by being told that he
IA no aptitude for journalism AMI j.
dvised To seek some other vocation.
Journalism is drudgery-plo.lsi.ng.
drudsery. The indi
idual work which makes up a COM
lete newspaper attracts M attention
rom the public generally. Readers
~ this or that paper Is = good one.
;iihout once caring who did this or 1
hat to make il such. And this alone
Iould he cruel To the unf1edged I
ritter who hopes To WELD moral in I
uence. If one Of his articles ap- 4
ears he expects it tn I've the future Of
ne paper. and is disappointed if the :
a"p'e do not talk about it and insist 4
D knowing who wrote it.