Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-10-27
Dana ON Journalism.

To young people who intend to enter
the newspaper field Charles A. Dana's
noble address on journalism offers in
spiration as we'll as no end of useful in
formation.
Mr.. Dana's lecture was given at Union
college. Perhaps since he was speaking
to students he gave a little too much
Importance to the study of the dead Ian
guages. Certainly if we have not time
to learn both Greek and German it will
be better in these times for us to take
the German.
Would You be journalist? says Mr..
Dana. Study the constitution and pol
itical history of America. Add also an
acquaintance with the constitutions Of
the various states and territories. Do
not merely commit them to memory,
parrotlike, but think about them and
compare them. The real journalist
takes natural interest in politics:
In order TO be of Importance in the affairs Of
this world in the newspaper profession, you
must be a politician, and You must know not
merely the theories and doctrines of parties,
not merely the reconcile part of politics, but
you must know practical politics, the history,
the men, the individuals, their ideas, their
purposes and their deeds; know them II you
can as they really are, not as the blind and the
prejudiced may imagine them to be-
The journalist must know not only the
history of his own country, but likewise
that of every European country-first of
all, the history of England. THE course
of history offers safe guide for human
action, and especially for political ac-
ton" We must look beneath the mere
events of political history and action and
search out the principles and the mo-
tives that underlie them.
One is glad to see that this leader lays
such intense stress on accuracy. The
worst sin of reporters, correspondents
and editors today is their lack of care to
get at the exact facts. The faculty of
seeing a thing as it is. of knowing, for
instance, that it is 81, and not 2s-this
is one of the first and most precious ends
of good education" Both for literature
and for research into human nature the
Bible and Shakespeare are the books
that will be most helpful to the journal
list, says Dana.
Horace Greeley was the lecturers ex-
emplar in journalism. though in his
Judgment even this great newspaper
man was deficient in the critical faculty.
Mr.. Dana gives the reporter his due
need of praise, which he does not al
ways get by any means. \ truthful re-
porter who can write with some degree
of imagination and humor contributes
ot g ~.
making of n successful newspaper.
Next TO the reporter one of the impor-
tant makers of the paper is the exchange
reader. He must go over n whole ROOM
full of papers more or less every day and
select from them, for copying. para
graphs and articles that are pathetic,
witty or that give information. On his
Judgment it depends greatly whether the
paper shall furnish attractive reading or
whether it shall be heavy as lead. One
of the leading functionaries in news
paper office i'll this age is the scientific
man. too-the individual who is up in
electricity, chemistry and mechanics. 1t
is typical of our particular age that this
is the case.
This sentence is golden, AN Ameri-
can who thinks another country is bet
ter than this should not go into Journal
ism" Best of all perhaps is this:
Yet at the bottom of ii all it is always n ques-
ton of character as well as of talent. A fellow
that is practicing arts OF deception may last a
| little while, but he cannot last long. The man
| who stays is the man who has the staying pow
er, and the staying power is not merely intel
Ill Is il in abar
people believe in him because they are sure he
does not mean to say anything that is not so.