Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1878-01-10

about it the better. These mani
fold physical attractions are set of
to the best advantage by the slow,
weighty, and, indeed, crushing
manner of their possessor.
While he is speaking the lis
tener has the feeling that verbal
minute guns are being fired at
him, so ponderously do the worfa
thump upon his tympanu m.
MR.. BAsSETT AROSE
When the reporter efficiently en-
tered his presence and introduced
himself.
"From the Mail, are you ?n
asked Mr.. Bassett, with faint but
peculiar smile. "Ah, indeed! Glad
to see you, young man. Sit down.
Hem ~
The reporter sat down. So did
Mr.. Bassett, and following is part
of the conversation which ensueG:
Mr.. Bassett-So you are from
the Mail, are you?
Reporter-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Basselt-Hum
Reporter-And Ms you are to
take entire editorial charge in q
few days, sir, thought, sir, your
views on journalism would be il
teresting aud valuable, sir.
Mr.. Bassett-Hum Very like
ly, very likely. Yes, very likely,
very
Reporter-Your views on metro
politan journalism, you know, sir.
Mr.. Bassett-I do not divlt Q
journalism in the vulgar way, sir.
Brains are brains, whether as man.
ifested in the columns OF the small
est country newspaper or the great
dailies of Observation-Disclosures
politan centers.
Reporter-Oh, of course; certain
ly.
Mr.. Bassett-My experience,
young man, has been large-vast,
rather. The best years of my life
have been devoted to the develop
ment of the material resources of
the State of California, and its in
tellectual and moral advancement.
Reporter-Oh, I'm aware of that,
sir.
Mr.. Bassett-I don't doubt it,
young man. Few are unaware Of
it. In order, sir, to accomplish the
greatest good for my mighty adopt
ell State, L have not fastened my
self to one editorial chair, but car
ried my person hence and thither
as felt they were most needed.
Reporter with animation)--
Sloshed around the country offices,
Ike?
Mr. Bassett-Your mode of ex-
preston is unpleasing, young man,
but you have collided with the
idea. | have spent my energies on
more country newspapers than any
one man living. l am proud to own
that l am country editor par eX.
celleuce.
MR.. BAssETT's MODEL PAPER.
Flippancy, sir, is thing 1 dsle 81,
and when l take entire EDITOR al
charge of The Mail, there will not
be line in it that my clergy man
might blush to read over the coffin
of his daughter.
Reporter Cooking blue) : You
don't believe in liveliness, sir?
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures, young
man, is another name for bad man
uers.
Reporter-Will you shut down
on humor?
Mr.. Bassett-What is humor,
young man?
Reporter-Oh, looking at big
things from small standpoint
pricking windbags, you know, and
ripping the white dichies off POM
posity that has a shirt on that isn't
clean-all that sort of thing, you
know.
Mr.. Bassett-Hum! Well, q
great many respectable persons
have a sense of the humorous, for I
see them laughing at things that
are utterly stupid to man of
brains. No, there shall be no
humor in The Mail when l take
editorial charge. There is no
weight In humor. 1t IL not digni-
fed.
Reporter-I suppose you will
make a roaring local department?
Mr.. Bassett-A what, sir?
Reporter-Why, pay particular
attention to local news.
Mr.. Bassett-No, sir, 1 shall not.
No local event shall take up more
than six lines Of my paper. I must
have room for editorials. Three
pages of editorial, one column of
local news and the rest advertise
ments, would make q paper the
like of which has never been seen
in the civilized world.
Reporter Very likely.
Mr.. Bassett (rising and walking
around the platform excitedly)-A
paper, sir, that would instruct the
young, convince the middle-aged
and soothe the declining days of
the aged. Twn-thirds of the edito-
rial utterances would be my own,
and the clergy ami other learned
men of the city and State should be
invited to fill the other third. A
noble paper-nOt made to be read
and Gu t aside as of worth only
upon the day il is printed, but one
tnab WOulu Oe VI Vdlub Ill tite III :
brary, the school aud the college
condensed encyclopedia, a text
book, dictionary, q well of knowl-
ege for the million, an enlarged and
glorlfied Portico.
Reporter-By the way, Mr.. Bas-
sett, L never see the Portico; is it
still alive?
Mr.. Bassett-It Is sir. The eye
of the vulgar seldom sees the pages
of he Portico. 1t is published for
private circulation.
Responsibilities curious idea.
How many copies do yon issue
each week?
Mr.. Bassett (eagerly)-Thirty
each week, and it's influence is
greater than an ordinary newspa-
per which issues thirty Thousand.
Reporter (stunned with asto lish-
ment-How's that, sir?
Mr.. Bassett, expanding his mag
nificeut chest-Because sir, it cir