Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-03-24
Mr. jenkins,

Mr. jenkins.
Mr.. jenkins has long been a IA
miliar and amusing figure; but when
he deserts the rosy paths Of descrip-
ton of hcad-dresses and trains, or
the august spectacle ofhigh fashion,
he makes mistake. He is a ,farceur,
not historian. Yet there is now
scarcely an eminent persons in Eu-
rope or America who is not oc-
casionally visited by Mr.. jenkins,
pencil in hand, and solicited to i'm
part his views upon some subject
with which he is especially identiti-
ed, or to state the result of his
cogitations upon things in general.
The report is duly printed, and usu-
ally with a flourish, and with fine
Improvement upon the enormous
power Of the press and the towering
enterprise of the particular paper
for which Mr.. jenkins was com
missioned to collect the sentiments
Of the famous. The result is very
comical. There is,a profound doubt
whether it was the hero or his valet
who was seen. Then nobody believes
that whoever was seen said what he
is reported to have said precisely as
reported. Then every body is con
scious that if he did communicate
his views, it was with a purpose of
his own, and that he would be a
very unwise reader who should sup
pose that he really knew the sen
timents Of the speaker.
interviewing, therefore, which is
now the technical term for this
kind of proceeding, is of the least
possible service, except in two ways:
it gratifies the public curiosity
about noted persons; and it pleases
the desire Of a paper to be consid-
dered enterprising. But to quote
gentleman or lady as holding GER
tain opinions because Of a reported
conversation printed in a newspa-
per would be ludicrous; and to sup
pose that it is1 Of any historical
value is absurd. With all the
power of the press-and the Easy
Chair would be the last to ques-
ton tit is incontcstably true that
every sensible man always awaits
the Confederation of personal state
ments and rumors in the newspapers,
The purvevors of news have not yet
impressed the public with any feel
ing Of scrupulous care in sitting
rumors. If the correspondent of
the best journal telegraphs contiden-
tally to the readers of the paper
that the Secretary Of State is we'll
known to begin the day by quaffing
of Champagne cocktail and trolling
a comic song, it may be considered
very "spicy itcm," but it is not
believed; and consequently every
more plausible statement is little
less believed, and the ''power of the
press" is accordingly weakened.
1t is not possible, indeed, for an
editor to verify every statement
that ticks from the telegraph into
his office Just as he is going to press;
but that is not the question. 1t is
always possible for him to exercise
his common-sense, and to discrimin-
ate in what is offered for publication.
What prodigious and palpable false
hoods have been published during
the war in Europe! What accounts
of interviews with men who ap-
parently maundered like silly school
girls! If a man of Importance in
the world wishes to say something,
is he likely to permit it to dribble
through the report of a wholly ir
responsible person unknown to him
Mr.. Jenkins may present his ere
dentials as the ambassador of the
Eatanswill Gdzette, for instance,
and the great Cham of Tartary may
express his profound respect for that
powerful organ Of opinion, and in.
vite Mr.. Jcnkinc to take some re-
freshment. And we may be sure
that Mr.. jenkins will make the mos,
of the occasion. If the Cham
dextrously avoids saying any thing.
we may depend upon Mr.. jenkins
to make him seem to say something
But it would be difficult to indicate
any valuable information that has
been derived from interviewing.
The method OF reporting an i'll
terview is familiar. MIR. Sumner
for instance, makes speech upon
the .Alubama claims, in which he
says very distinctly what he thinks
Public attention is interested, and
Mr.. jenkins instantly calls and
finds Mr.. Sumner-or his trunks
and proceeds to pump. Presently
we read in few columns that Mr..
Summers house is under the shadow
of the Capitol; and it is minutely
described, great attention being
given to the pattern of the wall-pa-
per. Then the study is sketched
for us; and then, the door opening.
enter a short, stout, bald, bland
gentlemen, clad in full black, and
Mr.. jenkins touches in the color
with surprising agility. When we
reach the conversation it is an echo
of the speech. The Senator is, of
course, made to say nothing that he
has not said in the speech, or which
is not a logical deduction from
the speech. In this part of his pic
ture Mr.. jenkins is conscious that
the public knows quite as much as
he, and he therefore ventures no de-
parture from the text. There is Il
great flourish at the head of the
column, but nothing has been added
to our knowledge. If, however, Mr.,
jenkins had told Mr.. Summers
views of the .1l0bdn0 question be-
fore he told them himself they
had turned ont TO be correct-then.
indeed, the SUBSEQUENT writings Of
jenkins would nave been perused