The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-01-04
HOW NEWS Is GATHERED.
old Tan. Journalism ana tho New

Old Time Journalism and thc New
Thirty years ago, nay less, says the
Washington Evening Star. instead OF
the corps of representatives of the
press now established in Washington,
the best newspapers in the land were
centent to await the slow process OF
mails (no fast ones them to bring them
the news from this political center
What congress did Monday generally
reached them Friday. Their writings
were as ponderous as their notions
They had more idea of didactic -four
ish than OF the value OF current events.
In those days of Washington letter
writers had President been assassin
ated the fact would have been found
only in the moral which their labored
efforts would have revealed. They
were not men Of facts, and only
alluded to them for the purpose Of ba-
sing a text for studied effort and fine
writing. As the world moved on they
were pushed to the wall. The active
American mind had more to do than
read newspaper sermons. When the
telegraph was perfected the old
covies gave way to what they then
sGss1efcthmpeu 10 wnaP 'ffssHiYi6 rs 6*TaiYsu
American cheek aud enterprise.
The mode of getting news and the
| handling of it is no secret. Every
newsgatherer has channels of informa-
tion which belong TO him pretty exclu-
sively. BY this is meant that one may
enjoy facilities Of social nature which
may pour the article into his lap. The
great point is first to get the crude
facts. Ii is the talent of the writer
which adds the spice aud the sauce
Those who have only the "nose for
news" without the faculty of working
il up, must not expect to reach the
highest round of the professional lad
der.
Now the main spring for all news il
| in the executive departments. In the
seven grand divisions which the con-
stitution created. In each of them. too.
| is found twenty diverging channels.-
Some, Of course, have depth; others
are shallow, but like all small streams,
the latter at times catch some Of the
drift, and q .wrecker must watch them
all.
In the Treasury Department the
fountain head is the Secretary. To
one who has never applied the newspa-
per pump to Mr.. Bristow, or who puts
in operation for the first time, the con-
conclusion would be jumped at that he
is rather dry fountain. Well, he is
There is no trouble TO get at him; that
is, to get into his presence. Bnt to
draw from him some of the troubles
which wear upon him requires tact and
ingenuity. He treats oil who wait upon
him cordially. He listens attentively
but has few opinions or suggestions to
volunteer. Go TO him on some defn-
ite subject, ask him about it, aud he
will give such information as is con-
sistent with his sense OF duty and re-
sponsibility. Ask him the general
question 'if he has any news" and his
answer is shake OF the head. Garry
| ing as he does in his head all the grand
batch of whisky information (not whis-
ky) what fund he has in store il one
could only check it out. There Is only
one way to get at Mr.. Bristow. II one
is in doubt as to the truth OF some
statement which he has caught in the
other rivulets, put it to him as fact,
aud il it is not so his eyes will betray
him. Likewise il il is. He speaks
more with his eyes than with his
mouth.
Mr.. Conant, one OF the Assistant Sec
retaries, is always willing to give to
the press the information which comes
under his observation. He deals in
the public debt statement and makes
the calls for the redemption of bonds.
John Burnham, the other assistant,
| is quite cordial in his welcome to all
callers. His class of Information is the
Interpretation of customs laws and
matters affecting the tariff. The New
York Bulletin and Journal OF Com
merce representatives find in his Office
an Elysium: but to newspapers that
don't care about printing the charges
Of duties on cod hsh balls, Holsters in
tin overcoats, and the ad valorem on
jate butts, cows hair, or arglos, any
more than printing often the Sermon
on the Mount, find in that quarter but
| little to amuse or instruct the general
reader.
The officers in charge Of the customs
division would rather see q book agent
or a wild eat come INTO his Office than
a newspaper man. Some OF the ''boys"
call on him every day, more for the
purpose Of letting him know they are
around than with any view OF being
benefited by the call, either socially on
intellectually. All the information
from his division is given out through
the chief clerks Office.
Mr. Pratt, the Commissioner of Inter
nal Revenue, is q favorite with news
paper men. He can state q fact with
terscness, aud has head as clear as q
bell.
John Jay Knox, Comptroller OF the
Currency, rarely has an item. He has
a remarkable facility also of forgetting
when he has good thing on hand
The jolliest and best-likcd man by
the guild in the Treasury Department
is Treasurer New. His heart is as bis
ss his vaults. He has a genuine West
ern bonhomie, which makes a visito
feel at home the minute the door close
one in his Office. lie can tell good
story and enjoy one with keen relish
and is not chary with his information
when he has any.
But the worst to do business with II
Architect Potter. He may be all righ
when you get st him, but il Ia the get
l fluH NJ ntlu WntfT Nnt tut 'Pftfr ~
one must go through a round OF visit
ing cards, and the etiquette OF thu
thing is too tedious to create desire
for frequent calls. Once in bis pres
enoc. however. barring good deaf o.
, dignity on his part, he usually gives th'
information sought for. 80
In the way Of statistics Prof. foa.e
can overwhelm an ordinary mind ~
less time than any other known qusn'
tity in the Treasury Department. Hs
has more statistics in him TO the square
inch than has the multiplication table,
or a crop report 10 times the magni'
tude. What he cant hold in the way o
statistics he hands over TO his assistant
Prof. Elliott, who cannot only retaiI
! ont Of the largesse what Young don
want, but in addition can find time e
, write Christmas stories on the Earth
Radius Vecton."
In the Department OF Justice th'
, only officer usually called npon is tn
Attorney General. There is no difficuI
/