Connecticut western news., 1896-11-19
ISSACHAR IN JOURNALISM.
Here Is . True Picture of the Press by .
 Swiss Editor.

Here Is . True Picture of the Press by .
 Swiss Editor.
 Issachar, the Scriptures tell us (never mind about the particulars of the de- scription), "stoopeth between two bur dens" Mir. Larned, in his general sur vey of the mission of books and of news papers, is disposed to lay upon our jour nalistic Issachar burden grievous to be borne. Others have another hack load ready for his patient dorsalities- A few remarks of a different tenor may therefore be in order at this stage of the march of civilization, in which upon any theory Issachar has a vested inter- est.
 At the Swiss national exposition of this year the newspapers of that small republic made display of their forces, mastering in unexpected numbers. A volume of more than 500 pages, contain ing a catalogue of l ,008 journals of all forms and every kind published in the cantons, was brought out, and in it were monographs of history, literature, etc., relating to the origin and development of Swiss journalism, which appears to be the growth of just oue century. The oldest of the Swiss papers hardly dates before 1796, and there are but half dozen which are 100 years old. A few others are more than 50 years, but mort of the thousand are of the second half of the century. The Swiss of the eight eenth century and we'll into the nine- teenth lived without newspapers, as they did without doctors and dentists, says this volume, and got along we'll without them. But now every one reads and scolds as he reads The editor of this book recalcitrates little at this. He says:
 Would that the government whose faults we cover up, the politicians whose speeches we correct, the parties whose platforms we publish, the election con- mittees whom we lead to victory or whose defeat we disguise, the incapable candidate whom we hold up as great man, the manufacturer whose advertise ment gets slipped in, the trader who craves our kindness, the financier who begs our services, the hotel keeper who brings us bills of fare from which others have eaten. the artist who extorts big adjectives for very little painting, the | author who bores us with his dull vol umes, the public which assails us with reclamations-in short, the whole world of unreasonable grumblers-could thank | us for our inexhaustible and childish good nature and compensate us by grat- itude and respect for the endless bother 1 they have given us. But, mol The jour- | nalist in Switzerland is taken for a kind of drudge, of whom anything can be exaoted, who owes something to everybody and to whom nobody ever thinks of paying anything whatsoever In this childlike ingratitude of the pub 1 lio we find lofty satisfaction, unattain- ] able by common men--the consoling | knowledge that we are better than our reputation, that we are creditors of many rich folks without ever raising a l finger to collect the debt. An, the draft | they set to our lips is wholesome-and exquisitely bitter. For the man con- scious of strength disdain is divine dose.
 With some congregations this is pic ture of the press everywhere. But there are compensations, and there is perhaps "a good time coming, " as the song says. The same lively writer goes on to say, 'Ihe part that journalism plays In our public and social life broadens from year to year and will ever increase. |" This is true of America no less than of Switzerland, and the exhortation which follows there is equally in place here !:
 'That journalism should always be beneficial depends on ourselves, on the estimation, more or less high, in which we hold our noble profession. on our self respect, on our freedom of speech and our courage in presence of power. Let us avoid toadies and f1atterers, ac. cept presents from no one. remember that wealth is often dishonor and pover- ty no crime. Let us seek no other re- ward than the witness of a good con- science. If we are truthful and sincere, we shall be listened to and respected. " Poor Issachar must drop his ears, take up his load and jog on with this encour- agement.