The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-08-16
JOURNALISM AND 1ErEMPERANCE.

a gentleman ia an eastern
oity, when being spoken &c
about his son going into
q newspaper Office as reporter,
said: II Object to nay son learning
TO be a newspaper reporter. because
there is too much danger of him be.
coming q drunksrd " He might,
With equal prOpriety have objected on
the came ground TO his son becoming
q lawyer, doctor, merchant, or in
fact appearing in the world at al.
The temptation to drink will be found
IA every walk OF life. Whisky is
encountered everywhere, and while
it is one Of the dearest articles in the
market it is the easiest obtained.
Few men ere 90 poor that they can
not get whisky, and fewer there are
VINO do not have it offered to them on
frequent occasions When the arti-
Gle is so common that any one may
have it for the asking, and many
people are under the necessity of re-.
fRsiDg it even to the extent of being
regarded as lacking in sociability,
avoiding the reporters profession will
not avoid the temptation. But as a
matter Of fact, journalism ia not be-
set by the dangers of intemperance.
There used to be good deal of talk !
about drunken editors and drinking !
reporters. In some instances intern
temperate journalists have made
brilliant regulations. They were
bright. clever persons, with fine
brains and ready wits. CiEcum-
stances, probably, were in their ia.
Vor, and aided them to rise in the
world. We can call to mind great
journal or two that were built up BY
and made their first regulations from
famously incorporate editors; bat We
question if those came editors,
were they alive, could OBJ.
tain employment on the pa
pers that they created. Intern
peEance in journalism is one of
Che places in which the evil is en-
tirely out of place, for if there is q
position where one needs the full and
free use of gil his mental faculties it
is in the newspaper. There are few
places abou! the newspaper where
large responsibility is not placed upon
the occupant, and responsibilities for
which intempersnce would wholly
unfit him. The merchant would
no. think OF placing q dEunksrd in
charge of his business and have per-
feet confidence In the management
of affairs; nor would an Incorporate
man be made cashier of hank.
Publishing a newspaper is no: q reck-
less, harem-scsrem business. It is a
legitimate pursuit, conducted on
business principles. Large sums of
money are invested in it. Tbs pro-
prietors do not print newspapers for
their health, nor because they are
patriotic, or want to give the public
something for nothing. Men go into |
the business to make money. and
they know that to be successful they
must be temperate and have men
about them who are themselves tenn
perste and reliable. OF course, tue
report IS lhrown in the way OF
temptation, but he knows, as does
the bank cashier, the doctor. who is
liable to be called up to attend the
sick, or the lawyer who requires all
his keenness in . suit on trial, that
indulgence units him fer bis duties
and is liable to cost him bis place.
A newspaper has no use for iutem-
perate men, and the man who Gays
that journalism leads 20 drink, scan.
dalizes a profession as respectable
and honorable as any II the Land.