Year: 1874

The NEwsPApEB PRsss.-The Oiym>
pia Standard, in a well-considered artl-
Gle on journalism, its duties and
abuses, among other things, says:


Who is it, that when panics ensue,
when alarm fills the popular mind, is
leaned upon as the rod of Aaron? Who
leads the forlorn hope and surmounts
difficulties for which the public thank
but themselves, ignoring his humble
instrumentality as soon as the danger is
past? Who but the publisher of the
so-called Country" newspaper, can
claim these laurels, which wither as
soon as won? He sits in his dingy Of
fee. amid the implements of his trade,
shut out from the pure air of heaven,
engaged in his ever-recurring, never
ending task of dishing up Intellectual
hash for the insatiate NAV of an exact-
ing public. Days, months and years
pass unnumbered, and his respite or
vacation comes not. If day, or a sin-
gle hour is lost, it must be made up by
crowding into the remainder of the week
the few moments that were permitted to
glide past without the usual accompani-
ment of labor. The click of the type has
become SO familiar to his ear that when
it ceases his nerves are unstrung by the
unaccustomed solitute, ard he is beset
by vague apprehensions of losing step
OH the remorseless treadmill to which
he'is chained.


His duties are legion. Like the knights
in the days of chivalry, he must be on
tie alert to champion every cause foun-
ded on right, or affecting the interests
the people he represents, He is expected
to measure lances with every buffoon
who enters the lists, although it may
serve no better purpose than to afford
gladiatorial display for the diversion of
his readers. He is required to carry any
load that party conventions place upon
his shoulders, and to bolster up the
waning fortunes of broken down politi-
clans. He must freely advertise church
fairs. charity concerts, society conven-
tions and kindred humbugs, without
even the poor satisfaction of knowing
that his labors are appreciated. He must
note the erection of every woodshed or
pigsty, or he IS devoid of enterprise and
perhaps lazy. He must puff everybody
and everything, or suffer the imputation
of -meanness, especially from those who
never patronize him to the value of q
farthing, but sponge all favors and like
Oliver Twist continually hold out their
spoons for more.


This is unquestionably true present
alton of facts. There is undoubtedly
no business or calling from which SO
much unremunerated toll and thankless
service is demanded as from newspaper
publishers; and none in which profess
sional ability is held SO cheaply in pub.
lie estimation; and none which has SO
large an influence in the direction Of
public affairs, or which, even in its
lowest grade, exercises SO great power
Tor the veal or woe of society. Why is
1t then, that the vocation does not COM
Mand that respect and reward to which
it is entitled. A large portion of the
fault must be with the publishers them.
selves; they have educated the public to
estimate them at the stamp of value a
majority of their numbers have put up
on themselves. Macauley tells us that
during the reign of Charles II. the cler.
gy Of the Stats Church oily ranked So
cially with the upper servants in the
houses of the nobility and gentry, and
we're not admitted to the tables of thei,
social superiors on state occasions. II
was not because religion was held in
less respect then than now, but that 9
large portion of its ministers had low
cred the dignity and brought contemp
upon the sacred character of their Office
and upon their entire class. by low ant
sensual lives. We see, in measure
like public estimate of civil Office il
this country, at the present time. Mei
of high character and nice sense O
honor, in view of the means in common