, 1884-04-27
OFF WITH THE OLD,
And On with the Newest and Best
in the Market
Brnins Bought ns n Pound of Butter
--JournnIIsts the Most I'm
practIcni OF Men---"Kesp
Out or It."



A lady visitor, who has been long ac-
quaiuted with the Newspaper world and its
inhabitants, whose purpose in life is charity,
and who goes to the newspaper men to help
her in her philanthropy, asked the editor an
odd question. did you ever think" she
said, that Journalists drop out of the bust
ness as they get on in yearsf' IL did not, =
swell, look around YOU. Most OF tho editors
and reporters arc young men. Some OF the
editors-in-chief may be old fellows, bat most
of the workers are young. 1t has always
been 30 far back us | can remember.
What becomes of tho journalists who have
got oldi All we know is that they are not in
journalism. Is your business such a terrible
one that it kills you CT, like cholerai No
doubt there are old journalists working else
where. but you never henr Of them. They
give the best part OF their lives to journalism.
and wherever they may be they have not
enough energy left TO make Il noise. Jour
nnlism took all their vim and dash. aud after
that 1t did not want any more. 1t captured
new life and new blood, and threw the olt,
worn out material away, not thinking OF
caring what became of It.
al tell you journalism is n hcartless, un-
grateful business for IFS folluwers. 1t makes
me sorry TO see n brilliant yonng fellow 60
into It. In any of the professions--I believe
Journalism IL a profession-the older he got
tue more power unl hlSDef STAINING ms
would have, but in journalism he just uses
himself no before he reaches middle age and
then drops out of sight. The proportion OF
journalists who get to be owners Of papers,
or editoTs-in-chie at salaries their abilities
warrant, Is so small that II is scarcely worth
considering. Mr.. Ringwalt said in his lecture
that you could count the number of rich
journalists on your fingers, meaning journal
lists who had built up successful newspaper
establishment which they owned, but that
no man could imagine the vast number OF
failures or the vast number Of editor-owners
who are struggling through All existence OF
half starvation.
"There are some rich journalists. but tho
majority of rich journalists are not Journal
lists at all They are capitalists who have
bought into journalism, just as they would
buy into n foundry or any other business en-
terprise. They cannot do the work of jour-
nnlisn, and they buy the brains for il as they
would buy a pound Of butter in the market.
You journalists are all enthusiasts in your
profession, but its money rewards are seldom
for you. You may have lots Of talent, but
you lack the common sense OF knowing how
to make money or to keep it II your business
manager makes 1t for you. Journalism may
give you fame. But you can do nothing but
stErve Oh fame. You are the most imprac.
tical Of men. | never knew an editor in.
chief who was not at war with his business
ana while the business manager, who
may be unable to write a two-line paragraph,
kept him from going TO the poor-house.
Five or six years ago | met a very able
young journalist, and | gave him my opinion
Of what he was doing. | told him to get ont
Of journalism 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 re-
NAMED n journalist, and has besides n big
bauk account, which, II thousand to one, he
would not have hal IT lac had scoiped my adj
vice. never see him but he thanks ne for
what | did for him. | do not understand
your fascination for your business. Why
you are its slave. You may lead others, but
you are not your own masters. Your worl,
never lets loose It's hold. | do not see the
glory OF that. You take your editorial sane
tum along with you wherever you go. You
are thinking out articles when you are walk,
ing the streets. You destroy night and you
laugh Mt Sunday. 1t is write, write, think,
think, incessintly. have not reached the
end OF the chapter, but 1t Is long enough"