Year: 1874

From Harper's Magazine for Jnly.


The suppression of halt our daily
papers, would greatly advance the art
of journalism in the United States


Five, six, seven daily papers in a city OF
less than 100000 inhabitants Some
of these have a corps consisting Of one
individual; and where there are three
peasons employed, the paper feels itself
entitled to some rank in the world OF
journalism. One consequence is that
two.thirds of all the working journalists
in the country receive less than the
wages of good mechanics and another
consequence is that the daily press, pub


lished in the midst of an Intelligent
people, is sometimes daily miracle OF
calumnious insanity. Falsehood and
folly in daily papers are, repeat, not
so much an evidence of depravity as Of
poverty Intelligence and character
are costly; frivolity and recklessness are
cheap. The inccssant abuse of individ.
uals is one of the few resources of an
empty mind l. can Lot discuss prin-
ciples; it cannot communicate knowledge;
it cannot enliven by wit and good hu


NOR nothing remains 10 it but to as


sail character. And even where the
decorums Of the press are strictly OBJ
served, We find in the columns Of news.
papers which are struggling for life
amazing exhibitions of helpless ig-
norance. The nauseatiDg trail of 81 a
week is seen all over them, sign OF
that agonizing contest for existence
which goes on wherever ten are trying
to subsist upon means insufficient for
five. And, really, when look down
the long payroll of IA complete news.
paper establishment, am inclined to
wonder that such large number OF
daily papers acquit themselves creditably
without being able to afford one.
quarter of the expenditure which excel.
lence costs. In New York, where alone
in the United States newspaper Offices
exist in which poor devilism has been
extirpated, the editorial force of a daily
paper, fully equipped, consists of about
so individuals, of whom at least II re.
ceive compensation which approaches
that of the lower grades of the other
liberal professions. The press has ad-
vanced so far in this one city of the
Western continent that competent and
well treined journalist receives as large a
compensation as lawyer doctor, or
clergyman of the fourth rank, and near.
ly enough 10 pay the rent of small
house in second-rate neighborhood.
This is considerable advance from the
time when Horace Greeley let Mr..
Raymond leave the TriGune rather than
add s. to his weekly stipend of $40
The editor-in chief of a New York
daily paper of the first rank receives
from 81, 200 to $4,000 year, with the
assistance of a shorthand reporter, and
the use of a cab. His leading assistants
receive about half as much. In Lon.
don, as Mr.. James Grant informs us,
the established salary of the editor of a
morning paper-always excepting the
princely Tmcs-is 1000 guineas q
year. There is no: likely to be for
some time to come more than one news
paper in any country that can safely 90
much beyond this scale of compensa.
ton. And, indeed, it is almost high
enough to admit of the gradual forma.
tion of a corps capable Of holding its
own against the dense swarm of lies
always struggling or scheming for ad.
mittance into the pres. In every ser.
vice under the sun the rank and file
must of necessity work hard for little
pay. 1t is only necessary to have a
few great prizes to stimulate the whole
body by rewarding the excellent few.