The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-04-12

~ Il
intelligent class of New Yorkers, the
business men, ride down town
every week day morning between
eight and ten O'clock. If you do the
same, no matter whether it is on the
surface cars, on the elevated, or on the
subway, you will notice that three out
of every five men, whose general sp-
pearance leads you to surmise that
they are intelligent, are reading papers
that have no pictures. The New
York Times, especially, has become
very popular, and is nows conceded to
be the most reliable and best generally
informed paper in the East It may
be mentioned that in England and on
the continent of Europe none of the
first-class papers deal in illustrations
or in manufactured sensations. Their
tone is decidedly superior to that of
the average American paper, and their
news is more trustworthy, particularly
that kind which deals in world politics.
In this respect we have been accus-
toned to look at international affairs
through English spectacles; or through
French spectacles, if we are readers of
the New York Herald, or papers de-
pendent on Herald news.
The profit in the newspaper business
depends on the volume of advertise
ments. and on the rates at which these
advertisements are published. The
rates obtained by some papers are
much higher than those obtained by
others, even If these others enjoy an
equally large circulation. Some papers
are regular gold mines. others barely
make expenses, and several owe their
existence to contributions from politi-
cal parties or mercantile corporations.
Two old famous New York papers,
which yielded great influence till up
to fifteen years ago, are now heavily
mortgaged; while some others are not
near so profitable as might be supposed
from their circulation. AS a natural
consequence, the pay for journalistic
work has also decreased. Formerly
only the writers had to be considered;
but since host of artists, cartoonists
expensive presses for the colored sup.
plements, ETC., increased the operating
expenses, the pay of the writer's had to
be curtailed. Nowadays even oul
great dailies buy as little extra, OF
original matter as possible from indi
pendent writer's, called "free lances" ir
Journalistic parlance, and expect theil
} staff writer's to do that kind of work
Fifteen years ago, there were sixteer
managing editors in the United State,
who received an annual salary of fif
teen thousand dollars; now there arr
only two who receive more than tw,
thousand dollars. The pay of cit,
editors, news editors, critics, reporters
etc., depends on their ability, and Of
the paper they are working for, but i
is smaller than 1t used to be. If II
5 connection with this we take into con
D sideration the long working hours, tn
: strain on the brain, and the many dis
i. agreeable duties involved in the gath
q ering in of items, it becomes eviden
!, that like amount of energy, educs
q tion, experience and labor expended o
almost anv other business would ne
Q far greater profits than in the journs
J, istic profession.
n But If a man of good education an
b large practical experience, who hs
n travelled much, can write intelligentl
u and keeps well posted on all currer
y affairs, will use these qualities as
y .sfree lance" he ought to have no diff
J" Guilty in earning more than good Ii
y ing. Particularly will this be the cal
q when such man can write fluent
d other languages besides English; Fl
le then he can correspond for foreie
ss publications also, which would ope
ot for him wider field, give him cham
" for almost continuous travel, high
" remuneration and many other adva
t. tages. Specialities, such as q thorout
is knowledge of all foreign military q
st fairs with their details and persona
ct ties, international, social, artistical al
re political matters are very valuab