The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-05
NOT THE LITERARY CAPITAL.
A Mistaken Idea Corrccted-New York
Not Kind To Journalists.

New York IS not, never was, and never
will be the literary capital OF the United
States. In fact, this country has 10 literary
capital like London and Paris Bat New
York, with it, vast wealth and great com
mercial importance, is constantly attracting
Young and ambitious men who wish 10 push
their fortunes in one way or another Among
Others, come the young men Of literary tastes
who rush 20 tho metropolis, full Ut bright
hopes OF fame and fortune. Alas. how few,
how very few realize their hopes
A mistaken idea exists among outsiders ~
to the high prices paid by the New forl.
newspapers, both to their regular staff wri-
tiers and to their special contributors. The
crowding 10 the metropolis l. - great that
the supply of journalists by far exceeds
the demand and consequently. the pay
is very small On tho morning news
papers. fifteen TO twenty dollars weeE
is the regular salary Of the reporters, while
the afternoon papers pay only ten and fifteen
dollars The managing editors ot some OF
the afternoon papers receive such small
salaries that they arc obliged to exc ont a
living by doing hack work for literary syn
dicates. Stories are constantly gong The
rounds of the press about the extrayagant
prices paid by The New York World for
special articles 1t was said that Henry
Ward Beecber was paid 500 for regular
column article published III the Sunday edi-
ton. Now l happen to know that the article
in question was furnished H. newspaper
syndicate at 81 a week Eight dollars Il
column is the amount which The World pays
for special articles; The Herald pays 50, The
Tribune SO, and the afternoon papers only
So Outside of the contributions Of their
regular staff the New York dailles print
very little matter except what is furnished
10y the numerous newspaper syndicate.
Neither fame nor fortune is made by the
average New York newspaper man Hi7
name is unknown outside Of tho region OF
Printing House square.
Except two or three veterans, tho Now
York correspondents Of the out OF town
newspapers receive very small pay-S5 n
letter of 1900 words being more than the
average; some are glad to get 8, but the
matter they write is poor indeed. The at
mosphoro Of New York is material, not
literary. y commercial spirit peryadcs Fifth
avenue as well as Wall street. \ money
standard prevails everywhere ana literary
talents do not receive any recognition, while
the successful stool. Spectator fills the news
papers with his operations Few prominent
literary men reside in New York, and thoy
find very little concenial companionship, for
there Is not a literary salon in the city where
cougenial spirits can meet in social inter
course
New York is neither the place to make
money by literary work, nor INC rigco -to-do
literary work in. Life il New York Is not
conducive TO study. culture or meditation.
For a city inhabited 10y, or adjacent TO-
nearly 5000 900 OF people, it is astonishnSiy
deficient in Libraries. Persons who wish 70
shine as fixed stars in tue armament Of liter.
allure, should avoid New Yori. as perma
nent residence; and those who wish to maSc
a living by literary work alone will not find
New York good feld.-Eugeno l. Didiei
in Tho Writer.