The Irish standard., 1895-01-12
SATURDAY, JANUARY u. 1895.
THE PAY OF JOURNALISTS

THE PAY OF JOURNALISTS
The Forum for January contains an
interesting article on tina rank and pay
Of journalists in the United States.
journalism in the United States had it's
beginning in 1890 when the first news.
paper was published in Boston, but the
colonial authorities forbade the publica.
tion Of second number. In IT'S there
was only thirty nine newspapers in the
country and there was no daily newspa-
per until after the Revolution. Ii lS4O
there were over one thousand papers in
the country, yet the author admits that
journalism was at shat time an object Of
charity. s'Ehe editor, he says, Was looked
upon as pensioner and man to be
pitied." Horace Greeley learned that a
cheap newspaper might succeed, be made
the attempt and succeeded. The tele.
graph aud the railroad put newspaper
business on paying basis, and in the
years just preceding the outbreak Of the
reached over four thousand, four han
drsa of which were dailies. OF course a
great deal Of help was needed even at
that stage of journalism, but the author
states that journalists were hired by the
month, like farm hands, their wages
averaging from twelve to twenty dollars
per month.
Subscriptions and job printing were
the principal sources OF revenue. Little
or no advertising was done and what lit
tie was done was in the way of charity.
The writer in the Forum points out how
the Civil War made the newspaper. For
every soldier that enlisted in either army
Il new subscriber was gained. Interest
in public affairs and in the accounts Of
battles OF course became intense. Every
newspaper made money. Newspapers now
for the first time were regarded as posi-.
tive necessity and not as means Of help
ing some struggling editor. Merchants
began to advertise in newspapers, the pro-
ression OF journalism was finally estab
Nshed aud editors took a. etard IN the
community along with lawyers.and ply
sicians. There are now in the United
States about 10000 publications, and the
nay of iournalists'has advanced at about
the same rate rs the number Of publica-
aions. The salary OF ore editor-in chief
in the city Of New York is equal to that
of the president Of the United States.
The average Salary of editorial writer's of
daily papers in the large cities is about
fifty dollars per week. The average pay
Of journalists of all kinds on all the dali
lies is $1,000 year. The pay of journal
lists compares well with the pay of mem
beers Of other professions. There are
more lawyers and physicians with large
incomes than there are journalists but
there are more journalists with moder-
ately good incomes than either lawyers
or physicians. This shows that while
greater success can be achieved in lazy or
medicine yet average success is more Of
ten attained in journalism than in either
OF the others. The journalist is better
paid than the professor or minister.
We believe, however, that the income
of newspaper men in general is none too
large in comparison with other profess
sions. There is no::profession which calls
for such thorough education and such
q long and varied training as the profess
sion of journalism. In no profession is
special talent ard aptitude more needed.
The tasks Of journalists are hard and
conflning, and their lives ones OF cease
less annoyancss and vicissitudes. From
the naturelof their profession they are
required ~ lead . life calling for the ex
penditure Of larger sums OF money for
living expenses than other professions,
and The consequences is that 9 rich jour
nalist Is sal dom found but the poor are
legion. Yet u I'll off us it Is ! pleasing
to know that we ars Spending u