The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-07-27
OUR COUNTRY EXCHANGES.

| I'H Ut 'Hhl'HnoOsuj june 10 loNl'
The mute inglorious journalists who
lack on y The opportunity of startling
the world, appear TO be numberless. In
every community there are scores of
people who, having no conception of the
scope and aim of journalism, and hay
ing no proper notion Of the duties, re-
sponsibilitics and labors of the journal
list, seem profoundly impressed with the
belief that they could step at once into
the editorial harness and conduct news
paper with notable ability and success
Certainly there are not II few in every
town, city and country who, however
modest they may be in estimating their
own abilities, are read y to tell you ex,
actly how a paper should be managed
Indeed, it is often the case that men
whose sClf-cOnccit and assurance are
only exceeded by their ignorance, are
instant aud active in obtruding their
crude and unwelcome suggestions upon
the attention of the painstaking editor
who is endcayorng to supply the de-
mands of the news-mOngers and cater to
the intellectual wants of the community,
The opinion seems to prevail among Il
certain class, that all that is necessary
for the making of newspaper is a print
ing press and suitable material, Il suf-
fcent number of intelligent compost
tors, and for an cditor--any man who
can handle pair of scissors and write
a passable paragraph. Too many forget,
or do not know, that in the profession
of journalism, as in other professions, Il
special talent and a special preparation
are required. It is generally conceded,
that, to become a lawyer of worth, one
must not only possess certain mental
endowmcnts, but must also understand
the principles and be familiar to de.
gree, with the myriad presidents Of the
law 1t is agreed that to be a physician,
able to heal diseases, and to invest
death with Il scientific interest, one must
by di)igcnt study acquire n knowledge
of the several sciences which make up
the science of medicine, to which
knowledge must be added the wisdom
gained by the intelligent application of
these princi pies in the practice of the
hcaing art, 1t is generally admitted
that the clergyman, whose methods and
IaborS, like those of the editor, are con
stamtIy subjected to captious and carp
ing criticisms, is, if he he worthy Of his
high office, better prepared than the
majority Of his critics to address him.
self to the difficulties of his position
and deal with the many ponderous and
undcmonStrable theorems of his theolo-
gy. Yet, strangely enough, it is hard
70 convince some people that the com,
potent journalist knows more about his
own business than the average reader of
a newspaper. They cannot understand
that the editor must not only have Il
peculiar talent and aptitude for his
work, but he must also undergo spec
iaI training if not in a college of Jour.
nalism, in the dcarcr and harder and
better school Of experience. There may
be rare gcniuscs that have stepped into
journalistic distinction without having
served q severe apprenticeship, but it
must he borne in mind that many n
brilliant editorial writer is simply
writer, and not properly an editor, and
i, only n journalist in 50 far as he writes
fora journal. There be men who well
Iosorycd reputation as writers up,n
leading mctropolitan daiIics, who it
oiyrn charoc nf 4 country newspaper
would in all probability, make an utter
aud iuglorjouS failure. Unjust he noted,
howe yer. and emphasized, that many of
the abIc.t and briliantcst journalists of
n,r dav have been first educated in the
school Of country journalism. Upon
fine other hand il is Also true that many
a &c, capabIe and promising country editor
ba. hcrn hidden ONT Of sirht under the
vel! Of imprrsonaIity, and lost to the
world and forgot, by being merged into
fine editorial corps Of the city daily.
49,, ,ro,,orod 10 o..or, ,hot tho ,,on
,,to ~" aiIr, adJ nronorIy conducts - conn.
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