Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-19
NEWSPAPER WORK.
WHAT IS SAID OF TT BY A MAN
 OF EXPERIENCE.

4 Young Man Apt to Be Disappointed
 in Editorial Work-The Duties of a
 Reporter-Hours of Labor-Behind the
 Scenes.
 William Schachtel, whose connection with the press of Utica has been long and honor able, made an address before the Y. NJ C. A. i'll that city last week on Newspaper Work 5
 Mr. Schachtel said: "The young man about entering journalism as an editorial writer is apt to be greatly disappointed when he finds that the rule by which he must judge is the broad, liberal and impartial one of the world, rather than his own narrow and sometimes biased opinion. But, you say, an editor should surely have the courage to express his convictions. Granted, and there is not an editor living who will say that he does not hold the opinions expressed in his editorials: but if the truth were known it would be found that his individual and private opinion is far in advance of that which he expresses in print. Many edi- torials are as remarkable for what they omit as for what they actually do say. Journal ism is not the only field, however, whose toilers are often 'wise as serpents and harm- less as doves, and who temper principle with policy
 ''The duties of a reporter are simply cler- ical. He is to make clear, true statement of what facts he finds, and in nine cases out of ten it is as devoid of comment as a frog is of hair. Comment and the editorial i've" are the prerogatives of an editor, and it is better so, as reporters have responsibilities enough without it.
 Another fact which is not pleasing rev elation to q young reporter is that his time is never his own. He does not work gi-s- number of hours, or regular hours, as is the case in almost every other branch of indus try. If occasion requires it, he must work twenty-four hours out of the twenty four, and be ready to repeat it the next day. The work of reporting is regular only in its irreg- ularity. Regular hours for meals or for sleep must be discarded, and often to suit the merest whims of individuals Many can not stand the physical strain, while many others give up and seek work in other fields. On the morning papers, as rule, the reporters rise at noon, go to work at 80 or 2 p. m.. work until dinner time, which is any time before p. m., returning to work imme- diately afterward, and continuing until 2:30 or 5 a. m., when the paper goes to press, then writing letters to correspondents and laying out work for the next day. Supper consists of cold lunch intended to be eaten at midnight, but oftener never touched until the days work is done. If lucky, the re- porter gets to bed at a. m., to sleep till noon, then repeat the same programme.
 ''If he is called to go out of town to report a trial in court or morning sermon in church, he must rise at a. m., and thereby lose three hours of sleep. On an afternoon paper the hours are no shorter. At work from a. m. to 10 and IL r. m., afternoon newspaper re- c., hour is at noon, they often do not get their dinner until I p. m., after the paper has gone to press. If you should find this mass of de- tail uninteresting, the apology must be that this sketch was written in hours which right fully belong to sleep. The great diversity of the work is another feature which is apt to prove stumbling block in the path of a young reporter. That it is necessary for him to know what he is writing about is self evi- dent. Neither his education nor his brief ex- perience in the practical affairs of life can have been sufficient to make him familiar with the many subjects on which he is called to Write.
 "In regard to what appears the most attractive in a reporters position-the loavcs and fishes-lct me say, once for all there is not a single, honest, self-respecting reporter who does not wish from the bottom or HaS HeafU they were aDOllSneu altogether. To be freely admitted to dramatic enter tainnent in consideration of the fact that you write Q notice for it, may seem Q high privilege to some; yet even such sordid natures can understand that in 0 case where the reporter knows beforehand that tho en- tertainment will be inferior or not suited to his tastes, the duty of attending becomes a punishment. He attends and does his work, but with no more enjoyment than the hired singers at funeral the musicians at the ball or tho walters at the banquet. It is a matter of business; that is all. As means of earn ing livelihood newspaper work is far less re enuneratlve than is generally believed. It is very galling to many newspaper writers, editors as we'll as reporters, to know that tEey are working for less money than the campositors who put their articles in type
 ''From the facts thus given in regard to newspaper work it would appear anything l:ut attractive or rcnunerative, yet that it las substantial charms cannot be denied.
 Knowledge is powcr,' and thero is great satisfaction i'll ncwspaper: work, because ono
 ldds to his stock of knowledge every day.
 From continued experience and habits of close observation Q reporter cones to see things as they ere from tho inside, from be- hind the sccncs, end not os they appear to the world outside. Lifc's tragedy and con- edy he sees mingled cbout hiln every day, and his work is mado interesting by its con trasts, which gro often startling. Many things which ho prints may be interesting, but the things he does not print would often be moro so."-Auburn (N. Y.) Dispatch.