The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-18
TEE WOMEN JoURNALIsTs.

The ladies' who have associated tn themselves
together under the rather cumbrous name OF
the Pacific asst Woman's Press Associa-
ton introduced themselves to the public ON
Monday in an agreeable manner. 1t is
pie sint to learn, as people did from Mrs
Parkhurst's address, that there are 300 ladies
in the service Of journalism on this coast
The profession cannot be so ungrateful II It
draws so many Of the fair to adopt it.
In the East and in Europe there are
women journalists. but they are rather The
exception than the rule. Poor Miss Dickin-
son wrote largely for the press. Kate Red
was for many years an editorial writer and
a very good writer en- the New York Herald,
and every one knows that the horse editor
of the Tribune for many years was woman.
But they were exceptions. Here and there
a woman is found a bright. sharp, quick and
nmble writer, who adopts the profession of
journalist. But as rule the calling is not
one to which girls naturally incline. The
work is much of it done at night. and in the
midst Of associations which are not always
refined. A lady who travels around in search
Of items sometimes has experiences which
are offensive to her delicacy. She requires
for the discharge of duty stronger nerves
than the sex usually possesses. And now
that a large proportion OF college graduates
and well-educated young men embrace the
calling of journalism, she finds herself pittcd
against male rivals who are willing TO per-
form any amount of drudgery.
As writers there is ~ reason why women
should not be the equals of men. They ell
joy equal facilities for the acquisition of
knowledge and they can learn to handle
the pen as deftly as their brothers. They
have the advantage over the latter that
their habits are as rule more correct. and
that they are more reliable. a woman who
promises TO deliver a piece of work on a
given day and hour is apt to keep her word,
whereas man sometimes fOrgets to fulfill
his engagement at the time set. There are
perhaps three rules which might be respect
fully submitted to Mrs. Parkhurst's three
hundred-if, as is. probably the case, they
are mostly young ladies beginning their
career. One is to resolve when they have
nothing to say to say nothing. The old
IaiinS had a proverb-n0thing comes out of
nothiug-and to no class Of people does the
adage APP ly more fifty than to the writer.
No one should ever write an article unless
he or she has something to say, and a clear
idea how to say it. The next rule is the one
which the late David Davis applied to Sena-
tor Morgan of Alabama, when he said that
Morgan would be great orator il he would
learn the art of sitting down. When the
lady writer has said her say she should
stop. Il is hard to learn the art of stopping.
When the pen runs smoothly. and the brain
is in good working order, the temptation to
20 on writing after the subject is exhausted
is very difficult to resist. But it must be
ov 'rcome if success is to be attained. Pro-
HXity is the one fault which the reader
never forgives.
Finally the gifted and ambitious young
ladies who constitute Mrs. Parkhursts bri-
gade must school themselves to liberate
their souls in the feWest ana shortest words.
Never use ten words to say a thing which
can be said in five; never use word of two
or more syllables if the same meaning can
be expressed in a word of one, and, above
all, abjure the deadly adjective. There are
certain classes Of composition in which the
judicious use of the adjective gives color and
warmth Gibbon handled it so skillfully
| that it is always welcome in his resonant
| periods But his case was exceptional. As
! a rule the gain of color resulting from the
| introduction Of the adjective is dearly bought
| by the sacrifice of strength which it in.
! wolves.
THE CALL submits with Difference these
suggestions to the members of the Pacific
| Coast Woman's Press Association. 1t doe;
so from Il sincere desire to see them success
| full. Every woman who is trying to carr
| her living by her own labor, so as TO emanci
! pate herself from the necessity of marrying
| for a home, is entitled to the respect ant
| kindly consideration Of mankind, whether
she deyOtes herself to teaching, or to music
or to art, or to mechanical or business pur.
! suits. To none are that respect and consid
Grafton better due than to those who join The
| army of letters and propose to contribute
! their mite to the advancement of humanity