The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-01-24

tain a Place n journalism.
Can journal. u lie learned by rules:
This question e. t. whether journalism
can ever become a normal career, like
other recognized careers, has always
haunted and even, | may say, b~csicgeI
me. And indeed 1t would lie strange If
this We're Mt the c}~". For the knowl-
edge requisite to mako a pair Of boots,
or a hat, or n PAIR Of gloves may be
taught according tO.cStGbliShCd princi
piles and fixed rules; bv dissection Of
the dead human body may he discover
ed the laws of medicine and the best
methods Of curing the living; n lawyer
may learn III the schools the modes Of
procedure and exact prccedents Of his
profession the art Of war, its rules ard
precepts-indood throughout the entire
list Of human professions there is for
each 4 special series Of laws and COndi-
tions by knowledge Of which he who
enters as an apprentice may go out, by
slow degrees of advancement, a master.
But in journalism alone among pro-
LESSONS this is not the case. In this
career there is no body of doctrine, no
series of fixed rules, apparently no pos
sible method Of instruction.
mas thele peeh an attempt
10 ESTABLISH s0ch laws nowhere mas
there as yet been n school for journal
ist apprentices, where they might learn
precise rules loF 'helr profession o r o.
tam ltc>"ThlzeP OASIS ol preliminary
III" lhuIHP'HS"D10 hHo" 4enSe' an" S''
JoulH'l-shi governs the "orlo ana Is De:
coming o'lIy Il more ana more lEnuen
'lal power Inc proDIehl Is really press
ing, ana even because OF Its very dill
Guilty fascinating 10 tn" mlnd.
Men who cannot make up their minds
10 follow another 5 lead along aHath to
be traced slowly, step by step, often
leave the slower and more regular pro-
LESSONS to enter journalism, much as
formerly mercenarIeS engaged them
selves to this and that foreign army,
quite willing to fight at random on the
morrow against an enemy whose very
existence the night before was unknown
to them. Once become journalists, they
change their newspaper, as formerly they
changed their profession or career.
They Jump from grave to gay, from
the political journal to the journal of
satire. They become at will reporters,
chroniclers, art critics, literary review
ers, not seeking in any way to study the
curse of events, the drift Of the times,
but, on the other hand, fitting all con
temporary ideas and events to the meas
ure of their own personal temperament,
so that an event or problem, thus treated
according tC the fancy Of a journalist,
appears tragical CT comic, without any
sort of regard for its real character. In
stead OF describing it as it is, establish
ing the principle which it illustrates,
they scatter abroad confusion and pro-
duce III the public mind a condition
OF uncertain Kaleidoscope eclectlcism
which Is the neg0tlon Of all really au-
tho11tatlve opinion and the destroyer of
all convection.
To obtain a place in journalism an
entire series OF capacities IS required, all
to be summed up, but not defined, IN
the single word talent. The absolutely
ignorant, men without imagination,
without intelligence, without the gift
OF assimilation, without, let me add,
audacity and gayety, cannot obtain a
place, cannot succeed in journalism,
The man who would enter a school Of
Journalism should feel q positive "call''
to this vocation, should have in him the
unwearying vigilance which is an abso-
lutte condition of it, the love of danger
of civil danger, that is-and real peril.
a boundless curiosity and love for truth,
and a special and marked facility of
rapid assimilation and comprehension.
Take a Young man possessing the first
scholarly diplomas in his country. If
he eniovs good health: if he has the
free use Of all his bodily faculties; il
he sees and hears accurately and knows
how tn eynress ouickIv what NO bears
Wv nee', 'Hch' NC "IH''9 " Do Jo"l'
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