The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-05-30
Tue Press and Banner,
BY Hugh Wilson.
Wednesday, May 80. 1888.
TAT c1H c. cG-sTaLicss
Where Old Newspaper Men Goa
Sermon for Wouid.Be Journalists.
I~hi!ude1phiu P1ogress.)

\ lady visitor. WHO has been long acQnaint
ed with the newSpnre" worid and its inhahi
ANTS. whose purpose In life t. charity. ,m
who goes To tho newspaper men 10 h'lp he,
her philanthr"pr, asked IN editor nm odd
nnc>tinn. Did yon ever think" she said
tina, Journalists drop out Of the business as
n"i around you. Most Of tho editors and re-
rnr,ers are young n,al. Some Of tho editors
in-rhicf my be old Fellows. hut most OF the
workers arc young. 1t has always been 80 rs
far lack as I can remember.
What becomes Of the Journalists who hay"
got oil? All We know Is that they ara not In
Journalism. Is yonr h&sinc.s such 4 terrible
one that IT, kills You or IKE cholera? No
doubt there arc old journalists working else
where. but yon never hear NJ them. They
give the hes; rartof their lives to journalism,
9nd wherever they may hc they haro not
enough energy lett 70 make - noise. Jonrnal-
tsn took all their vim and dash. and after
ahat II did not want any more. II captured
now life and new blood. and threw the ola.
worn out material away. not thinking or car
ing what became OF IT.. ] tell Won j"hrnaa.in
aR n hrnrt,c>s. nngra:eful business for ito fol-
lowers. n makes me sorry to see n brilliant
Young fellow 20 into 1t. In any other pro-
feSsiGn-T hcticVr Journalism Is 4 profrsSion-
the older h" got the more power and the
3,i.her stardinC he would have. but I'm journal
ism he Just USES himself mp before he reaches
middle age, and tl'en drops out OF sight. The
3.roporti0n Of journalists VINO get tn he owners
.<f papers or cd;torS-in-chict at salaries their
abilities warrant. Is so small TINT it is scarcely
worth considering. Mr.. Rinswalt said IN his
lecture that YOU could count the number OF
rich journalists on ynur fingers. meaning
Journalists who had built an successful news
iarcr establishments which they own"d. bnt
fhat no man cnu!d imagine tho vas. number Of
failures the vast number OF owners who are
struggling through an existence OF halfStnrva.
zion. There are same rich Journalists, hut The
majority OF the Journalists are not journalists
~ all. They IRE capitalists who have DO lGht
into journalism. just as th"v would hnv inthn
foundry or any other business enterprise.
Thpv cannot do Tho work OF journalism. ana
they buy the brains for it rs they won d buy
pound of butter In the market. You ion-nol-
lists are all enthusiasts in vonr pr'fcs sion. hr,
ats ,nnnv rewards are seldom for yon. You
NAV have lots Of talcrt. but you lack tho
common sense of knowing how to make
money or 10 keep ii If yonr business manager
makes II FIR You. journalism may give you
iame: hut you can 10 nothing but Starre on
Tame. You are the most impracti"al Of men.
never know nm editor in-ch'cf who was not
ut war with his business manager. while tn"
business manager. who may he unable to
write a two line paragraph. kept him from
going to the poor house. Five or six years
aHo 7 met n very able young journalist. and I
gave him my opinion Of what he was doing.
! told him to get ont Of journalism before II
vas too late. before he was all nS~d up. lie
took my advice. went into another profrs:
sion: has now rs much honor rs he could
have had had h" remained n Journalist. and
has besides a big bank account which nthnnS.
and to one. he wonld not have had II he had
rcornrd my advice. I never soc him hut h"
thanks me for what I did for him.. I do NOT
understand your fascination for Your hnsi:
ness. Why you are Us slave? You may lea!
rthers. but you are not your own masters
Tonr work never lets loose Its hold. 7 do rot
see the glory nf that. Yon take your editorial
=ancirm with Won wherever YOU 20. You
I5e thinking out articles when You are walk
Tag the streets. You destroy night and you
1ergh Mt Sunday. II is write. wri'e. think
think. inceSsantly. I have not rr"chrd the
end or the rhan,cr. hnt II is long enough. !
hope I will be welcome again.