The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-12-30
JOURNALISM.
A Practical Article for Youug Men Who
Want to be Editors and Weld n Moral
[sioux City Journal.I


ALI the way from university of far
distant State comes to us an application
for position on the Journal as an ed
itorial writer. 1t comes from young
man who says he has been pursuing
special course of study with view OF
adopting journalism as profession.
He has about finished this course and
desires to enter Immediately upon his
ife-work. The young gentleman writes
that from early youth his ambition has
been to WELD a moral influence, and he
sees no hope of exercising this influence
save as a journalist He has tasted of
science, of language, of philosophy; has
labored to form style which he could
use with effect; has sought out new
paths, and endeavored to make new
paths where he found none. His knowl-
edge of political history, law and political
economy he thinks would enable him to
discuss the average questions OF the day
intelligently.
In treating questions of social interest,
his knowledge of social economy might
not prove amiss. AS journalist he
would keep his life purpose ever before
him. In his paper he would introduce
new features-to old ones he would give
the charm of novelty. In political dis
| cussions ne would shun insignificant
partyism or personal refiections-every-
thing save a fair presentation of party
principles and party interest. As man
ager he would exercise jndicious econ
| omy; as an editor, untlrlng energy and
| brain.
The young gentleman is no doubt
honest and sincere in his statements, but
they weigh nothing with an experienced
newspaper man. Journalists are not
turned out of universities ready-made
Journalism is a profession which can
only be mastered after long years of
active service-on the same principle that
to be good lawyer, or successful min
lister, or competent mechanic, one
must have a practical experience, and
can attain prominence only after long
years of patient labor.
Young men on leaving college are apt
to think they could shape the destinies
of nation if they could only get con-
troll of the columns of some newspaper.
Perhaps young graduate does get Oh
opportunity to write editorials for some
country weekly. He launches bolt
and then anxiously awaits the report
He generally waits in vain, and is both
|
that his majestic utterances have
attracted no attention whatever. Per
haps he gets position on one of the bis
dailies, and with proud heart he hands
in to the managing editor long article
over which he spent several days il
writing and rewriting, only to be NOR
tilted almost to death by the matter-of
fact chief telling him to cut that thinI
down. to two stickfuls, even if he doe
not tell him the paper has no room fo
any such stuff.
He may further tell the young man
whose ambition it is to WELD influence
that they want no opinions from him
they only want news, and that in q con
J densed form. The concert may furthe
be taken out of the young man by bein
detailed to write up the stock-yards, c
sent to get the points in a scandal case
and told that he must get his report in
Z half column, and have his copy in by
o'clock sharp. This doing uncongenii
: work, and doing it ON the jump, with Il
time to elaborate glowing periods, an
: eloquent perorations, is q new e.
, perience, and five to one he makes a fiji
| failure and is chagrined beyond mea
ure by being told that he has no aptituG
for journalism, and is advised to see
: some other vocation.
7 Journalism is drudgery-ploddinl
4 ! unostentatious drudgery. The individu
e work which makes up a complete new
/" paper attracts no attention.from the pu
Q lie generally. Readers say this or tn
: paper is q good one, without caring wi
. did this or that to make it such. Al
q this alone would be cruel to the unfedgt
d writer who hopes to WELD a moral i
/ fluence. If one of his articles appea
d he expects it to be the feature of Il
paper, and is disappointed if people
d not talk about it and insist on KNOWN
|; who wrote it.