The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-09-30
THE DAY OF SPECIAL WRITERS.
Some OF the Prices That Are Paid fer
Newspaper Work.
[speciaI Correspondence.I

eOme OF tne Fr7ceS Thaf Are Paid H0l
Newspaper Work.
Especial Correspondence.1
NEW YORK, Aug. S1.-The day wheI
those who relied upon the pen for support
were obliged to content themselves with
scanty living has passed away, and men o.
talent are no longer called hack writer's
Within the past ten years the business o
meeting the tremendous increase in the de
mand for reading matter which instructs
entertains, charms or thrills has made
those who do miscellaneous writing mem
bers of a recognized profession. There an
many men who earn far more than the
average lawyer, even in New York city,
and whose yearly receipts are greater than
those of some of the most popular clergy
men. There are correspondents who earn
as high as 5000 or $1,000 year, and there
is one at least of the regular newspaper
correspondents whose earnings for the
past ten years have averaged some $12, ,OO
a year, and who estimates his wealth al
not far from 100000, every cent of which
he received for his daily work
OF late those writers who have won great
fame and who write about the profoundeE
subjects, men whose names carry their ar
ticles, have experienced change of heart.
For few years ago the number of those
who would contribute their articles to the
daily newspapers was small, and a feeling
existed that 1t was not exactly dignified to
have an article appear in anything less
ponderous than a review or a monthly
magazine. Now all this is changed. The
best writers in the world are in the market,
and even William D. Howells has at last
consented to furnish story which is to ap-
pear serially in the daily newspapers.
1t is a matter Of perhaps some interest to
know what the great writers Of the world
are accustomed to receive for their contri-
buttons. Gladstone and Tennyson are ex-
ceptions to the general rule. Mr. Glad
stone can receive any price that he asks
for any sort of an article he chooses to
write. 1t is not easy to get him to furnish
matter, and when he does his charges are
phenomenal, but are always willingly paid.
Tennyson has been offered as high as a
hundred dollars line for short poem
and has declined it.
Leaving these men out of considera-
ton, it is found that even the ablest writers
are satisfied to receive about three cents
ordinary newspaper column. Mr.. Andrew
ID. White, who is a man of great wealth,
charges at this rate, not because he needs
the money but because he feels that his
work is worth the market rate. 1t would
be shock to his pride to know that some
other person receives more than he does.
Of other American writers, Major McKin-
ley charges the highest prices for his work
SO high, in fact, as to cause a smaller de-
mand for it than would be the case were
his charges less.
Ex-senator Ingalls, received from week
lymagazine check for 81 600 for some ten
articles of 4,500 words apiece. Elizabeth
Stuart Phelps has never received more
than twenty dollars per thousand words,
at least of her serious articles. Her earn
ings for some of her stories have been, Of
course, considerably greater. Ex-Speaker
Reed, it is understood, received $500 for
single magazine article of about 1900
words, and his earnings for his literary
work while speaker were sufficient for him
to take five months vacation in Europe
this summer.
Colonel Ingersoll is one of the writers
who receives great pay, and if he would
write more he could market enough mat
ter to materially add to his income as a
lawyer.
OF the foreign writers, Andrew Lang is
perhaps the most popular, at least so far
as brief essay writing is concerned, with
readers in this country. He is also an ex-
ceedingly obliging man, and has the repu-
tation of being able to turn out at very
short notice readable article upon almost
any subject. His prices do not run over
two cents word, or about forty dollars
for newspaper column, land his income is
said to be from $4,000 to $4,000 year.
Frances Power Cobbe, who is the great au-
thority on viyisection, or rather the most
powerful opponent of it, is becoming very
popular. and is always willing to write and
to receive even more moderate sum than }
Lang charges. General Wolsey, who is Z
developing great eEergy as a writer, earns
on an average about two cents a word, and
he writes so much that his income is very
increased.
Robert Louis Stevenson has charged
very high rates for some of his work of
descriptive or serious nature, and some of
his admirers as a story teller do not think
that he maintains in his letters his reputa-
ton as a romancer. Edison could charge |
almost any price within the bounds Of I
reason for anything he might choose to
write, but however great his genius is as
an inventor, he feels that he has shortcom- |
ings as writer, and cannot be induced to
do much general work ef this sort. If he |
bad the gift of Park Benjamin, whose ar
ticles on scientific subjects are very mar
ketable and bring high prices, Edison !
would feel that his happiness was com !
plete- The specialists receive a great deal |
more money than do the fiction writers, /
with perhaps one or two exceptions and il /
has just begun 70 dawn upon many OF I
them that a splendid field is opening to 4
them in this great demand OF the reading 4
public for authoritative articles upon spe- /
ciai topics of interest and Importance
7 EDrApne