The Russellville Democrat., 1889-01-24
WOMAN IN JOURNALISM.
Her Success as Reporter, Interviewef
 and Editorial Writer.

and Editorial Writer.
 Women in New York journalism is
 becoming not less potent literary iu-
 luence, but great power There is
 scarcely leading daily that is not in-
 debted to her pen for some of the most thoughtful editorials, not as occasional
 contributors either, but as part of the
 regular staff Not few of the ablest
 book reviews and essays on moral and
 social reform, 10 say nothing of dra-
 matic and art criticism and the whole
 field Of belles letters, are from that
 source, but as rule they are not adepts
 at, probably because they have rarely
 any taste for, metaphysical or mathe-
 nautical themes; and consequently the
 amount of work of that kind entrusted
 to them is comparatively little. I
 speak now more particularly of the daily press. Women had always found
 more or less congenial and profitable
 employment on the literary weeklies
 and the monthly magazines, but the field
 was narrow, being restricted for the
 most part to love stories, poetry, society
 gossip, and the latest fashions; but
 their destined Identification with the more exacting functions of metropoli-
 tan journalism dates no further back than, say thirty-five or forty years ago. The late Mrs. Ann S. Stephens, so long associated with Peterson's Magazine, and whose memory is still cherished in Philadelphia as it is here, may be said to have led the way as literary critic and editorial contributor to the New York Express, a position which sne held for some years, notwithstand- ing an accumulation of other literary labors in the realm of fiction, includ- ing not few novels, such as Fashion and Fame,n which at the time won a pronounced popularity, Mrs. Steph- ems was succeeded on the same Journal by another authoress, only less known to fame, Mrs. Elizabeth F. Ellet, best known, perhaps, to the reading public as author of The Women of the Rev olution, and later on Mrs. R. N. Crom- well, author ol "Meum ct Tuum," made her mark as poetical contrib utor to the same columns The civil war at this time had something to do in giving the women their opportunity in taking the places of many clever writers, who were off at the fnont as correspondentsai Mean while the Times, Tribune, World and other dailies were ln linipHiling themselves in like manner of the best female talent they could get for special writing, and from that time until the present it has always had good market when backed by painstaking industry. In the less con spicuous paths of daily journalism, it need hardly be said, women are not only quite numerous, but are among the most efficient and conscientious workers As reporters and interview CTS they have ready tact which serves them well, but of course, in the rough work of political campaign, they are out of place, nor do they seek to oc- cupy it. But at many of the churches on Sunday, when preachers Of note oc- cupy the pulpit, they may be seen at the reporters table, along with those of the masculine gender, without ex- citing the surprise that would be felt by minister or congregation in former years, when such an innovation was undreamed of, The fact is worth re- cording, not only as showing the in- ereasing opportunities which are now presented for women to utilize their in- telligence and industry, but also as an abatement of the narrow that formerly existed against the application of woman's abilities to any field of usefulness beyond the strictly domestic circles. N. Y, Cor Philadelphia Ledger.