The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-15
Who is Reuter?--- -Gossipy Sketch of the
Great Telegrapher.

One of the correspondents gives us the fol-
lowing account of the man who owns the
Shah:
wonderful sfittle Jew spring from? Nobody
knows. We are told he was 'sborn in Ger
many about 1915" but so much anybody who
had seen him might tell without reference to
cyclopedia He has been naturalized sub
-ject of Queen Victoria for some twenty years,
and responsible London journalists have not
forgotten his appearance on ''the scene"
About dozen years ago, a small Jew, with a
prominent hooked nose, a pair of gold trimmed
spectacles, and an accent 10 which only Mr..
Leland could do justice, haunted newspaper
offices, seeking interviews and endeavoring
to commence acquaintanceships. His sole
object was to benefit the English press. 'sNo,
Il assure you-upon s'my wort of honor
there the hand on the breast and low bow
Sat greatly admire re London press. 1t is
re vun great press of re vorlt. want you to
zee my leetle kilograms and use zem as you
like. 1 want no money. just zay re despatch
comes vrom Mr.. Reuter-. / shall be entirely
zatesfied." The persuasive notes were listen
ed to. They produced their effect. Tele-
graphing was expensive, and newspaper prof
its were small. The dispatches were used
for probably month.
Then another visit. The post was in, and
the shrewd little man was safe. ''Were re
leetle dispatches of CUTE? Zey were! I am
delighted. care for nutting but to please re
press." Should he continue them? He should
be happy, and IN the mean time it was waste
of good money for the--or-to be paying
for dispatches from their own correspondents.
Why throw money so away? So the special
teleerams were stopped. Another month, and
this time there is more of confidence in the
eye of the little man. He does not bow
quite so often. He even differs from you on
little matters. He knows his strength.
Will the proprietors of the - like to make
an arrangement for one year? They see
what his dispatches are worth. They must
see what saving was made. The other
uapers were all accepting an annual engage
mSut, ETC. Ultimately the engagement was
made. Then the country papers came into
it-not merely the daily papers, but also the
weekly papers, who concluded with him for
one DAVIS dispatches. The whole press in
short space OF time became, so far as its for
eign news IS concerned, Reuterized. The
terms of his full subscription have been
raised from 1900 to 81 200 yearly. Private
subscribers, exchanges, town halls, states
men, foreign ministers, and host, now SUBJ
scribe to Reuter-. He has coined money.
His dispatches are fair. / dislike the sys-
tenn, but 1 have never seen despatch which
seemed to have '.job' for its end, though 1
have seen many which politically were OBJ
jectionable.
Foreign governments find it convenient to
give Reuters agents their news, and vet
there is intelligence from independent sources
also. Reuters depatches constitute an ac-
complished fact. Their originator is now a
baron. He has the best opera box; his
horses ale the wonder of the row; he has a
town house, a seaside house and country
house. His manner is that of bland despot
He smiles with sort of patronizing smile as
though he was keeping his greatness back
! have never heard of anything to his dis
credit, and for one who has moved, as he
has done, amongst varied temptations, that
is saying good deal. 1t is Reuter- who now
holds Persia as his estate, who, after man.
aging the press, tried his master hand upon
the Shah. The last dozen years have told
upon him. l see the deep marks down his
face, which tells of anxious days and sleep
less nights. He has paid in this way, fear,
for his success. Of course he is far seeing
enough to stop short of carrying out his OWL
concessions. Individual firms and coinpa pa.
mics can have the concessions OF OF, III. Mn . uuS
I'm inclined to think the baron VIII n. quice
as much for his '.privileges as tney are
worth