The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-05-19
journalism as q Business.

Literature can be ana IS maQe b utSlr-
able means of livelihood, a regular busi.
ness, no more hap-hazard in its nature
than brick-laying, store-keeping, and
other occupations regarded as extremely
practical. The fact is beginning to be
generally accepted, and would have been
perceived sooner had it not been for the
long established popular prejudice which
has associated with literary work the
poorest pay, wretched poverty and con-
tinual Encouragement.
What was largely true in the past has
been enormously contounded with the
present. Men Of genius who q century
ago wrote for a living, Jared i'll. They
were customarily deep in debt, and not
infreouently thrown into prison because
they could not pay their bills. They
lived in garrets, suffered hunger and
cold, and wore threadbare garments.
Indeed, the consciousness Of possessing
superior mental endowmcnts was often
times their only solace. 1t is even re-
lated of Shelley that he was obliged to
bring out his " "Adonais " at his own ex-
pense, being unable to find any pub
Usher that would take it. AS contrast,
it may be mentioned that Eugene Schuy-
Ter is to receive $4,000 for tue right OF
serial publication in Scribner's Monthly
of his life of Peter the Great, At the same
time reserving the copyright to publish
the matter, as soon as completed in the
magazine, in book form. Literature
nowadays is full of encouragement and
promise to it, votaries, in comparison
with the paltry and doubtful induce
ments it held forth to the ill-starred
writers of earlier times. :,
Literature as reliable business is al
most exclusively pursued In its most in
auen,ial and extensive department, that
of journalism. Hundreds of trained
men are regularly engaged ir this pro.
fession. Ifnot paid large salaries. many
of them OF least receive good remunera-
tion for their services, anu d.r1ve from
their occupation as much, if not more,
income than does clerk or bookkeeper.
Journalists usually maintain their fami-
! lies as respectfully and satisfactorily as
do most business men, and are no more
apt to suffer from the lack OF the neces-
saries and comforts of life than are the
majority of persons engaged in mercan-
tile pursuits. The profession Of the
journalist, while it does not hold forth
The hopes of finally acquiring the large
gains obtained by the most successful
practitioners in law ard medicine,
probably offers to those adapted to it, a
wider and less crowded field in which
to advance and develop. and its earn.
lngs indisputably are rs regular and
certain.
Natural fitness is more necessary for
success in journalism than in many oc-
cupations. The aspirant must have an
innate taste and capacity for writing.
And this is not all. AS arduous an ap-
premiership must be served rs in any
difficult trade, and drilling undergone
which is not less thorough than that
through which all men who have mas
tered the details OF banking and other
complex kinds of business passed.
Newspaper work is practical. The dis
ciplined ability needed in its accom-
plishment involves a sagacity equal to
that daily exercised by the shrewd busi-
ness man, and unabating application
and the most vigilant watchfulness
against errors of statement and judg-
ment are demanded Of the attaches OF
the press. =,
journalism as a business is likely to
widely receive favorable consideration.
The popularity and power of newspapers
are increasing; many new ones will De
started in various sections rs our broad
country becomes more thickly settled,
and the profession of the journalist will
certainly be as desirable, probably more
desirable, in the future than at present;
while those who enter it must more and
more expect to become trained special
lste.-Pdper World.