River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-06-14
THE END OF JOURNALISTS.
Where Old Newspaper Men Goa
Sermon for WouId-be Journalists.

Where Old Newspaper Men Goa
Sermon for WouId-be JourI alists,
Philadelphia Progress.
A lady visitor, who has been long ac-
auainted with the newspaper world and
its inhabitants, whose purpose in life is
charity, aud who goes to the newspaper
men to help her in her philanthropy,
asked the editor an odd question.
'D!d you ever think" she said, "that
journalists drop out of business as they
get on in years." II did not" "Well,
look around you. Most of the editors
and reporters are young men. Some OF
the edftors-in-ehief may be old fellows,
but most of the workers are young. 1t
has always been rs far back as l can
remember"
What becomes Of the journalists who
have got old? All we know is that they
are not in journalism. Is your business
such terrible one that it kills you OIL
like cholera? No doubt there are old
journalists working elsewhere, but you
never hear of them. They give the best
part of their lives to journalism ana
wherever they may b. they have not
enough energy let TO make a noise.
Journalism took all their vim and dash,
and after that it did no. want any more.
1t captured new life and new blood,
and threw the old, worn out material
away, not thinking OF caring what be-
came OF 1t. L tell you Journalism Is
heartless, ungrateful business for its
followers It makes me sorry TO see
brilliant young fellow go into it, In any
other proiession-l believe journalism
is understandable older he got the
more power and the higher standing he
would have, bat in journalism he just
uses himself up before he reaches md
die age, and then drops out ofsght.
The proportion of journalists who
get to be owners of papers,
or etlitors-in-chieiat salaries their abili-
ties warrant, is 50 small thatit is scarcely
worth considering. Mr.. Ringwalt said
in his lecture that you could count the
number of rich journalists on your iln-
gers, meaning journalists who had built
up successful newspaper establishments
which they owned, but that no man
could imagine the vast number of fall
ures or the vast number of editor-own-
ers who are struggling through an eX-
lstence of half starvation. There are
some rich journalists, but the majority
of rich journalists are not journalists at
al. lHtN are capitalists WIZ AANNN
bought into journalism, Just as they would
buy into foundry or any other busl-
ness enterprise. They cannot do the
work of journalism, and they buy the
brains for 1t as they would buy pound
of butter in the market, You journalists
are all enthusiasts in your profession,
but its money rewards are seldom Tor
you. You may have lots Of talent, but
you lack the common sense Of knowing
how to make money or to keep ifyour
business manager makes it for you.
Journalism may give you fame. But you
can do nothing but sarve on fame.
You are the most impractical of men.
/ never knew an editor-in-
chief who was not at war with his
business manager, while the business
manager, who may be unable to write a
two line paragraph, kept him from GO
ing to the poor house. Five or six years
ago l met very able young journalist,
and / gave him my opinion of what he
was doing. l told him to get out ofjour-
nalism before it was too late, before he
was all used up. He took my advice,
went into another profession; has now
as much honor as he could have had had
he remained journalist, and has be-
sides big bank account, which thous-
and to one, he would not have had If no
had scorned my advice. | never see
him but he thanks me for what l did for
him. do not understand your fascina-
ton for your business. Why you are its
slave. You may lead others but you are
not your own masters. Your work never
let's loose its hold. do not see the glory
in that. You take your editorial sane
tum with you wherever you 80. You
are thinking out articles when you are
walking the streets. You destroy night
and you laugh at Sunday. 1t is write,
write, think, think, necessarily. have
not reached the end of the chapter, but
it is long enough. l hope | will be wei
come auain