Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-01-24
THE PRESS AS A CAREER
Address before University Stu
dents by g. G. Benedict.
Distinction between Impcrsonal and
Personal journalism No. So Mark
cd 40 Formcriy---ltcauIrcm
of Good Newspaper Man.

Tho address az the university vespcr
service yesterday afternoon was by the
Hon. G.. G.. Benedict on THE Press as a
Career"
Mr.. Benedict said in part:
One hundred and forty years ago Ed
mond Burke in tho English Parliament
alluded 10 tho press as O. Fourth
Estate" more important than the three
estates Of tho realm. The influence of
the press in England has Increased since
that time, and in this country the power
Of the fourth estate ia greater than it
is now or ever was in Great Britain.
THE Newspaper" says a writer In the
American journal Of Sociology. Us con-
temporary history. made Vile you walt;
II is a final judiciary OF mankind, always
in sessiou, In tho intorest Of personal and
social Justice" The American press cx-
cceds in circulation tho entire press Of
the rest OF tho Elchc OF the 1900 pa pers
and periodicals in existence 30 years ago
6,l0o were published in the United States
There are now 1900 newspapers printed
in this country, which are probably as
many a s in all the rest of the civilized
world
Journalism in this country may he
divided into tho Journalism of the great
cities, and that OF the country press. and
on the same liues. into rnpcrsonal and
personal journalism. Tic latter distinction
waS formerly more marked than now.
Time was when the New York Tribune
wac "Grceley's paper" ard Hora re Greeley
was the Tribune. I; was read less for
0cws than 20 sec VIVA: Greeley had to
9ay on the Nppolmost topics of the times.
Whitelaw Rcd is now the nominal editor.
but who knows now by whom it is
actually edited? The New York Times
founded by Henry J. Raymond, l.. v.
NJ. %, one OF the most brilliant news
paper men % the last century, was
"Raymond's paper: the New York
Herald was Benefits paper" Who
knows now who edited either the Times,
or Tho Herald. or the Sun. or the Evening
Post" few eitors OF leading journals,
Harvey Of Harpcr's weekly: St. Clair Nc
Nelway Of the Brooklyn Eagle; Henry
Wattcrson Of the Louisville Courier
Journal, maintain personai Journalism,
But tho editor ot the Great daily news
paper is now generally the inpersonal
we" In most cases this we" is n
hireing. who may be under tho absolute
control OF the counting room which tells
him what policy he Is to advocate and
what rascal he is not at attack.
The work of the country wceklies
and small country datles is done und"r
conditions essentially different. Most
country editors own their papers. are
their own masters, and know most u
their subscribers. They are person
ally interested In the welfare of the
village enterprises. and make their
papers valuable and almost indispensi-
BILE vehicles Of home news Most of
them are too honest to lie for tho ben
eft Of any man. and most Of them do
not need 10 lie about the circulation Of
their papers. The country editor
aims to be respectable in order to be
influential. The Atlantic Monthly
says there are more real gentlemen
running country newspapers in our
day than ever before: and that when
the country editor Expresses some ra =
tional idea on n national question. his
congressman knows that 1t comes
from tho grass roots" and respects Il
accordingly.
Mr.. Benedict proceeded to give the
young men some counsel drawn from
his own experiences on the best way to
fit oneself for q journalistic career.
He did not attach great value 70 the
chairs Of journalism established in
some colleges, The candidate for Il
position on tho press must practice
writing with the distant end in view II
acquiring a good English style, He
should read good standard English,
such as is 70 be found in King Jamos'S
Bible. in Shakespeare. In Milton and
Burke In modern literature no work
ls better fitted to mould good style
than tho addresses of john Hay. He
should avoid acquiring Tho distorted
style of CARLYLE ana should eschow the
later works of Henry James. He
should beware of reporter English"
The most and best used book on his
table should be the dictionary. He
should familiariZe himself with details
Of national. State and municipal gov
ernments, should master some of their
history, and of tho characters and ca
reers Of the great men and minds of
his own and other nations. Some
sense OF humor will be of service to him.
For the average writer. young or old,
tho habit of revision OF what he has
written is most useful To become a
| tcrse and forcible writer, he should
20 carefully over his essay; be sure
that he has used the best word; cut In
two involved sentences, and mako
everything plain to the reader of av-
| crage intelligence.
| The realization of responsibility must
weigh heavily on the mirl OF the con
| scicntious editor The extent 10 which
readers take their opinions from their
paper 1. amazing. But there are re-
wards for the good and faithful servan,
| Of the public in the ranks Of Journalism
There are brilliant writers without con
sciences or sense Of right and wrong
| There are liars ara drunkards and ras-
| calls who preside over sheets which arc
| cesspools OF crimes and scandals and
| sources of social democrat cation, But
| the mn iority Of the craft mean 10 be and
succeed pretty well in being honest and
| truthful with themselves aad the public
and after long years Of such service !,
sometimes comes to an editor who has
strivcn TO stand among the peace makers
| tho pure in heart. tn" men who let their
| l!Irht shine for the good Of mankind, or
whom the Master pronounced his bless
| ings, to find that he has obtained the es-
| TEEN of his toWnsmen ard the wider pub
lie and the respect even Of those whose
ambitions he may have thwarted and or
whose toes he may have trod--to hav,
| obtained these rewards TO a far greater
| degree than ne had realized or imagined
| The successful journalist must be q
man of brains. OF varied informal ton, OF
| tha pift M c1aar eyprescipp nf y,