The Republican journal., 1915-05-13
The Rewards of journalism.

Ane worn JOURNALISM 10 06e0 A0v1o00ly, de.
spite the criticism Of those who prefer to be
called newspaper men. The word is good
one and seems to apply fittingly to those en-
gagged in the editorial department Of news
paper, while the business manager might
properly be called newspaper man and the
reporter reporter. As to the rewards of
journalism. whether of fame or fortune, they
are not many in proportion to the number en-
gagged in what must be considered an arduous
and exacting profession. Men who continue
in this calling all their lives rarely accumulate
wealth. As an illustration Jacob Riis, who
died recently. left only five or six thousand
dollars. and We can recall many like cases.
The newspaper has. however, often proved
stepping stone, or training school, for sue.
cess in other lines James G. Blaine is nota-
BILE example. Had he continued in journalism
he would have been one Of the great editors
presidency he was offered princely salary to
become the editor of big daily newspaper.
Look over the brief biographies in the Con-
gressional Directory for any year and you
will find that many members of the Senate
and House had some connection with news
or sold newspapers as boys. In addition to
those who entered the political game are
Others who became rich, or famous, or both, as
| authors and dramatists. A recent newspaper
item is pertinent in this connection. 1t says:
"The number of newspaper men holding official
positions both under the State and National
governments is constantly increasing, in tacit
training is in itself one of the best kinds of
preparation for public life
Sometimes fortune comes unexpectedly. E.
c. Bailey sold the Boston Herald to five of his
employees on such terms that they continued in
their respective positions. and paid for the pa
per out of its earnings. One of the five with
drew after a while, and little later another,
having accumulated what he considered a COM
potency, retired The sale of the Washington,
D. c., Star by Mr.. Wallack was essentially a
like transaction and the price about the same
in both transactions. The Star was sold to five
persons, two Withdrawing later, and the paper
is owned today by the estates of the three re-
naming proprietors. The editor of the Herald
was E. B. Haskell, Maine man, and the ed-
tor of the Star was Crosby S. Noyes, who was
born in Minot, Me-, in 1925. He worked on a
farm, in a cotton mill at Lewiston, taught
school to obtain an academic education, wrote
sketches for Maine and Boston newspapers,
and then, his health requiring change of eli
mate. he went to Washington, D. c., walking
from Baltimore the last forty miles of his
journey. His first work was serving news
paper route. He furnished Washington corre-
spondence to several papers, became report
er on the Star, was advanced to editor under
Mr.. Wallack and when he became one of the
proprietors continued in that capacity until
his death. A few years before he was called
from earth he came to Poland Springs in pri-
vate car. He left three sons, one succeeding
him as editor of the Star, another is news
manager and the third, the editor of the Chi
cago Record Herald.
James Gordon Bennett inherited the New
York Herald from his father and at one time
it was said to have yielded an annual profit of
one million dollars. W. R. Nelson, owner and
editor of the Kansas City Star. who died the
other day, left an estate of slQ.000.00O. Col.
Henry Watterson of the Louisville Courier
Journal began his career as reporter on
Washington, D. c., daily at SIS week. He has
certainly attained fame, and while we have
never seen an estimate of his financial stand
ing "Marse Henry" has had no difficulty in
keeping the wolf from his door. Whitelaw
Reid was distinguished as correspondent at
the front during the Civil War, later Wash
ington correspondent, then managing editor of
the New York Tribune, succeeded Horace
Greedy as editor, and later became chief pro-
prietor. He served with distinction as Minister
to France and Ambassador at the Court of St.
James, living in England in almost regal
spendor.
The old saying that poets are born, not
made" is often applied to newspaper men. or
journalists. Unquestonably men are born to
this calling, but in some cases do not realize it
and have other ideals and ambitions that final.
ly come to naught and they find themselves
embarked on the sea of journalism. But now
adays newspaper men are made and numerous
schools of journalism turning them out
That all graduates from these schools will sue
coed in large way is not probable. Nor is
success assured to all who engage in other call
ings or professions. But there is much useful
and necessary work to be done on newspapers
which can be better and more readily done
after course in journalism. AS an illustra-
ton of the editor born. but who had attained
success in another profession before entering
upon what was destined to be his life work, we
may mention the case of Alden J. Blethen, a
native of Waldo county. He was engaged in
the practice of law in Portland, in which he
was successful, and when he decided to 90
west it was thought he felt call to wider
field for legal practice. But he had other
views. When it was learned that he had To-
Gated in Kansas City and become the manager
of the Kansas City Journal it was recalled
that one evening in Portland after winning an
important case he said: II should like to be a
newspaper man. I have a very high opinion
of the business" He was the manager of the
Kansas City Journal from 1880 to 1884 and
then sold the interest he had acquired in the
paper. which had prospered greatly under his
management, for what many would consider
handsome fortune. He then went to Minne-
apolis and became half owner, editor and man.
ager, of The Tribune and The Journal and after
conducting them success fnllv for time snld