Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-27
Valuable Advice to Correspondents.
boston Transcript

1t is the inestimable and inalienable privilege
OF the American citizen to write to the news
the ''valued correspondent writes to the editor,
ard Informs him not only Of the facts but OF the
circumstances In the case, and the causes that
produce the result. Men of scientific attain
ments have devoted years to the careful study
ard consideration OF the real moving cause of
so much writing to editors; but as their re-
Sc arches are still incomplete, 1t would be unfair
al unjust to divulge the partial results so far
att aimed.
1t Is fair to assume that those who thus favor
the newspapers with their communications de-
sire 10 90 so In such way as to secure their
publication, and having somewhat intimate
acquaintance with literature of this sort, we
have thought it well to make some few sugges-
lions and give some few hints which may not
only be of value, hut mercifully save the SPILL
Il G OF much Innocent ink
The first thing to be observed is that no one
g ievance, public or private, If he can possibly
Eelp 1t. Individual grievances have very small
interest for the public. II a railroad company
hich you deem Unjust to you, write to the
c. mpany, not to the newspaper There are
cry few public corporations whose officers
will not heed just complaint properly set
forth.
If you have friend who is successful as an
actor or as an artist or as an author, don't write
to the newspaper about it. To the editorial eye
it looks amazingly like an endeavor to puff a
friend, and the waste basket is pretty sure to be
brought into requisit1on.
Try TO have the moral courage and will power
not to write on both sides of the sheet. This is
asking great deal.
Manuscript that comes In the form of tight
roll comInends itself on account of its ava.la-
After few days service it drops into the waste
baSket-unOpened.
Better adhere to the singular form Of the per-
SOnal pronOun. No known grammar ever made
correspondent a plural. Leave the editorial
1--WE" to the editorial staff.
The statement appears in probably thousand
newspapers daily in this country, that no notice
will be taken OF anonymous contributions, and
that rejected manuscripts cannot be returned.
This is part Of the fundamental law OF Jour
nalism, and If publicity be worth anything in
though 1t ought to be generally known by this
time; but, as matter Of fact, about sixty per
cent OF al the manuscripts received by editors
come without any authentic signature and
fifty per cent of those who favor editors with
their communications expect them, If not used,
TO be returned with polite and regretful
1t is far better to retain copy Of what you send
and likewise TO let your name and address
appear upon 1t.
s1 nSs ven a in Tsng to
alleged by their authors to have been dashed
off stand fair chance of being dashed into the
waste basket; What is not written with care is
There are certain correspondents and con-
tributorS personally unknown to- yet beloved
OF, editors, who always write on half sheets of
NOTE paper. and on one side only. These they
put, with their accompanying note II any, Civ
Ing their full name and address, into an en-
velope large enough to take a half-note sheet
without folding it. Other things being equal,
chance.
Nothing Is more highl esteemed In the edito-
rial sanctum than short, sharp, pithy letters
from correspondents. Nothing occasions more
work of the useless kind than long, wordy and
weak communications on topics Of no general
interest. 1t is with a sincere desire to save our
correspondents useless labor, and with the sim
columns, that we make these suggestions.
The above is authorized to be read In the pub
lie SchOOlS-that is, it ought to be.