The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-08
Mr.. BrOOmall on the Press.

From the N. Y. Tribune.
Mr.. Lowell tells us that "God sends country
lawyers and other wise fellows to drive the
worlds team when it gets in a slough" One
of these country lawyers represents Chester
district in Pennsylvania, and has lately dis
tiDguished himself by what newspaper re-
porter calls "a sweeping denunciation OF cor
respondents in general" saying che believed
they manufactured such statements for the
purpose of blackmailing, and, for his part, he
wouldn't believe any correspondent IN WASH
ington under oath. He thought that any
correspondent who remained in Washington
for even two weeks got thoroughly corrupted
and unworthy of credit" The author OF this
statement is the Hon. John M. Broomall, OF
Pennsylvania. After a reply had been made
to Mr.. Broomall by Mr.. Getz, of Reading, he
still further said that she didn't believe in the
virtue of any of the correspondents OF this
wicked capital, and while he did not object to
them pitching into himself as fercely as they
might desire, he did hope they would never
attempt to praise him. TO obtain their
praises would give the public ground to sus-
peot his own honesty"
We do not presume that the human virtues
are monopolized by Washington correspon-
dents any more than by the members Of any
other profession. We have seen many things
in the coniuct of some of these gentlemen to
deplore. Occasionally we have felt that the
| the story told of Mr.. Painter is true, we think
he deserves the severest censure; but men
| have done the press good service in Washing
| ton. Gentlemen are there now, and have been
| there, who have as much ability, as much
| honesty and as many claims to public esteem
as the Hon. John NJ BroOmall. bad cores
pondent surely does harm. A lie will travel
| with seven-lesgued boots, but we have yet to
hear of its ever seriously hurting anybody.
| In no profession is the distinction between
| bad men and good men so promptly and
| so severely drawn as in the press. There are
J some black sheep, but every body knows who
they ase. They have no character. They
represent no great newspaper. They have the
confidence OF no popular constituency, and
they no more represent correspondents OF the
press than the "shJsters" around the Tombs
| do the New York bar.
The Washington correspondent occupies a
| position Of great power. Mr. ColfaX, in his
speech at their dinner the other evening,
solemnly warned them, we are told, of their
responsibility, and advised them to exercise it
pIudently. He reminded them that they had
in their hands the making and unmsking OF
the reputation OF "ereat men," We have
generally found that the correspondents who
are most unpopular with COngressmen are the
men who do not assist in making" these
'TeputatiOns." A reporter, for instance, who
, will tell the constituents of Mr.. Bro0mall
every other morning that he made thrilling
and mastery speeoh that the sienographers
were dissolved in tears as they took down his
pathetic sentences, will be honored by him and
by those of his class as an ornament to his
profession. 1t is not in human nature to say
mo- when grave Congressman, represent
ing mighty constituencies, comes into the othot
of correspondent and begs him to say four
lines to his people, recording his eloquenct
and virtue. The request makes very much
the impression upon these writing gentlemen
that beggar does, who stands with his h
at the door and asks for sixpences. The beg
gar, however, shows more courtesy. He, a
least, will say, "May the Lord save you !" or
''May Heaven prosper you 20 or, "May yor
have peace in the land many days I" Blu
the Congressman rarely shows such gratitude