Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-13
NOT THE LITERARY CAPITAL.
a Mistaken idea Corrected-New York
Not Kind to Journalists.

"A Mistaken idea Corrected-New York
Not Kind to Journalists.
New York Is not, never was, and never
will be the literary capital Of the United
StAteA In fact, this country has no literary
capital like London and Paris. But New
York, with its vast wealth and great COM
merciA Importance, is constantly attracting
young and ambitious men who wish to push
their fortunes in one way or another. Among
others, come the young men of literary tastes
who rush to the metropolis, full of bright
hopes of fame and fortune Alasl how few,
how very few realize their hopes!
A mistaken idea exists among outsiders as
to the high prices paid by the New York
newspapers, both to their regular staff wri-
ters and to their special contributors The
crowding to the metropolis is SO great that
tho supply Of journalists by far exceeds
the demand, and consequently, the pay
Is very small On the morning news
papers. fifteen to twenty dollars a week
Is the regular salary Of the reporters, while
the afternoon papers pay only ten and fifteen
dollars The managing editors Of some of
the afternoon papers receive such small
salaries that they are obliged to exc out
living by doing hack work for literary syn
dictates. Stories are constantly going the
rounds Of the press about the extravagant
prices paid by The New York World for
special articles. 1t was said that Henry
Ward Beecher was paid $500 for regular
column article published in tho Sunday edi-
ton. Now l happen to know that the article
in question was furnished by newspaper
syndicate at 81 week. Eight dollars a
column is the amount which The World pays
for special articles; The Herald pays Sc, The
Tribune $40, and the afternoon papers only
IS. Outside of the contributions of their
regular staff the New York dailies print
very little matter except what is furnished
by the numerous newspaper syndicates.
Neither fame nor fortune is made by the
average New York newspaper man His
name Is unknown outside of the region of
Printing House square.
Except two or three veterans, the New
York correspondents of the out of town
newspapers receive very small PAYS a
letter Of 1900 words being more than the
average; some are glad to get So, but the
matter they write is poor indeed The at
mosphere Of New York is material, not
literary. A commercial spirit pervades Fifth
avenue as well as Wall street. A money
standard prevails everywhere, and literary
talents do not receive any recognition, while
the successful stock Spectator fills the news
papers with his operations Few prominent
literary men reside in New York. and they
find very little cOngenial companionship, for
there is not literary salon in the city where
oongenial spirits can meet in social inter
course
New York is neither the place to make
money by literary work, nor the place to do
literary work in Life in New York is not
conducive to study, culture or meditation.
For city inhabited by, or adjacent TO-
nearly 5000 900 of people, it is astonishingly
deficient in libraries Persons who wish to
shine Is fxed stars In the armament of liter
atuTe. should avoid New York as a per,na-
nent residence; and those who wish to make
living by literary work alone will not find
New York good feld-Eugeue L Didier
IN The Writer. -