Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-26
A MEMBER OF THE PRESS.
BY GEORGE J. MANSON.

From the New York Citizsn.l
What is a reporter?
/ have heard, in my time, two defni.
tions of a reporter, or, rs he generally
calls himself, "a member of the press.
One was from gentleman who labored
| under the disadvantage according to Mr..
Saxe's idea) of being "a very funny
man." His definition of reporter was
this: "a man with cast iron body and
no soul" The other definition / heard
from lady who, though not very funny"
was exceedingly pleasant and agreeable,
and was often guilty of uttering very good
things. She called reporters, express
sively and laconically, link wigglers
/ do not know which Of these definitions
is best; the reader must choose for him
self.
When we come to the qualifications of
a good newspaper reporter, we say that
the principal one must be that of impu-
dence. never knew a modest man to
be reporter, or, to speak more cor
rectly, good one. There are few
modest men in the profession, but they
are soon lost sight of and forgotten. And
is of great benefit to the public, if they
would think moment on the subject If
it were not for this same impudence the
readers of newspapers would not be edi-
fed with half the gossip that ia ahoat.
1t is through the impudence of the re-
porters that you hear little items of in
telligence of all sorts, about the Prince
of Wales, the inventor of the Atlantic
Telegraph, the japanese, Mr.. Weston, the
famous actors and actresses, the Presi-
dent of the United States, Wendell Phil
lips, Anna Dickinson, the Sorosis, and
last, but not least. the Wickedest Man
in New York" While other people are
outside the show, and think, and won
der, and surmise as to how things are,
the euterprisiag reporter goesin to the
great presence (whoever he, she, or it,
happens to be) only soon to emerge there
from with his notebook filled with an &C
count of just how things really are-snd,
sometimes, fear, how they are not. The
reporter must never weary Of doing his
duty to that large constituency to which
he speaks every day-the largest any
man can speak to--,he mighty public.
To illustrate what impotence will do,
let me relate an anecdote. A message
once arrived at certain newspaper Of
fee that frightful murder had been com
mitted in small village near by, and
that the inquest on the murdered body
was to be held in the course of the day.
Reporters were, of course, dispatched
from all the various city newspapers to
give an account of the affair. On their
arrival at the village they were informed
by the coroner-rather an unusual cir.
cunstsnce-thst he would net allow any
of them to be present at the inquest. The
reporters, however, we're not to be put
off They held consultation among
themselves, and resolved on course of
action. As each witness came out of
the coroner's room he was politely taken
in charge "by gentleman of the press"
standing rear the door, and ushered into
another room, where the other members
Of the craft were sitting round a large
table, looking very solemn, after the man
ner of officials. The witness was then
told to repeat over his testimony the
same as be had done before the coroner,
the reporters remarking that they were
TO record it for the satisfaction OF the
snblic. Being mostly "young men from
the country" and not particularly sharp,
the Witnesses supposed it was all right,
aad proceeded to give their testimony
with even greater volubility than they
had given it before the coroner The
long account of the inquest, occupying
four or FIVE closely printed columns,
which appeared in the morning papers,
was due, aside from the work, TO the en-.