Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-09-10


"Make Your Articles Consist.
George c. Harding in the St. Louis Democrat
| had the pleasure of assisting at the
birth of the Louisville Ledger. 1t was
a powerful cast. / don't remember the
exact number of editors employed on the
paper, but it was immense. There was
an editor-in-chief, with two or three as
sistants, news editor, a heavy corps Of
reporters and city editors, a foreign edi-
tor, an amusement editor, fine art edi-
tor, nautical editor, legal editor a
financial editor, and a number of
miscellaneous and unclassifed edi-
tors. There were so many editors
in fact, that the building was un-
comfortably crowded, and they were in
each others way. There was always a
scramble for the lounge and the Cincin-
natl papers. Many of these editors were
amateurs, with rather crude ideas of
Neutrality-suspicious. ofa leisurely lite
rary turn of mind, who thought it would
be good thing to stroll into the office
once or twice a day, draw off kid glove,
dash off profound editorial on national
politics, and then stroll jauntily out
again, twirling delicate rattan cane
with a horses hoof or feminine leg in
ivory for handle. Colonel M. W.
Cluskey, formerly of Memphis, was com
mander-in-chief of this rabble of courage
GUS but undisciplined ink-slingers. Col.
Cluskey is an Irishman, reared in Ala
bama, where he acquired delicious
Southern brogue. Personally he is one
of the highest-toned, kindest-hearted
and most chivalrous of men, and in his
time he has been recognized as one of
the most vigorous writer's of the South.
A little work on parliamentary law, OF
which he is the althor, is still quoted in
Southern legislative bodies. But at the
time Colonel Cluskey took hold Of the
Ledger, ill-health had greatly impaired
his usefulness He was a gallant SOL
der in behalf of the Lost Cause, and
was literally shot to pieces. The only
wonder was that he managed to live.
Colonel Clusky made frantic efforts to
discipline his rabble, and at the same
time endeayored TO cultivate agreeable
social relations 1t was one of his the
cries that man employed on the Led
ger must necessarily be a gentleman,
and that man good enough to associate
with him in the office was entitled to
to be received at his house. About once
a week the entire force was invited to
his elegant mansion to discuss oysters,
venison, champagne and other creature
comforts. 3 M EttH
The earlier numbers Of the Ledger
were curiosities in their way. | re-
member one night when the foreign
editor, intensely Prussian in his sympa-
thies, had written an article on the
Franco German war, and DIR. Breckin-
ridge, who strongly sympathized with
the French, had written one on the same
subject. OF course they conaicted, and
each was stubborn in insisting on COM
mitting the paper 20 his own views.
Colonel Cluskey was appealed to. Gen
tlemsp," said he oracularly, by Jove J
YOU must make your ahticles consist.
II won't do to have an ahticle in one
paht OF the papah taking one view of a
n subject. and an shticle in anothah
column taking anothah view They
must consist. Now, don't care a cop
uah about the frog-eatahs or the id
Dutch, but the papah must be one
thing or the othah. II cant be both. "
After some further squabbles, tbs foreign
man and the Doctor being unable to
come to an understanding, Colonel Mike
called ont. "Heahl give EN- to me- Ill
fix il up myself" Taking the two arti-
cles he cut the head OF the Breckinridge
editorial. sliced sentence out OF Price
and pasted it on. Then be scooped out
an inch or two Of Breckenridge and
pasted it on to Price. And so he con-
tinued, taking alternate paragraphs
from Breckinrjdge and Price until he
had patched up the most remarkable
foreign article ever published ID the
United States, the whole thing ending
with semicolon. 49,.
Colonel Cluskey was disposed to assert
his rights, and took umbrage at the fire.
quent consultations of stockholders.
q There's too id much buzzin' about
heah to suit me-" be you'd say. If
there's any buzzin' to be done, ~ buzz
myself. By Jovei I've been elected
managn' eaitsh of this papah, an by
JOpet IA goip 70 manage il. AZ these
gentlemen amt satisfied With my man
agement, my resignation's az tselr
suhyice; bRt / don't want any buzzin'
around me. Come, Henry, boy, less go
an get a eayktail."
Colonel Cluskey had none OF ne sb-
surd prejudice against personal journal.
ism which some Of the sedate ana stupid
Of the day AFFECT. Boy"
he would say, "t0-mo' an we must open
on sm along the whole line. "Tll 90
for EN- OF ibe second page, and ! want