The Portland daily press., 1880-01-26
Our Boston Letter.
The Maine Trouble-Successfu journal
ists-Amusements-Th Massachusetts,
Legislature.
BosToN, Jan. %, 1880

have been put into the shade by the overshad-
owing importance of the great contest which
has been going on in the State Of Maine. Our
newspapers have been full of it, and our people
have talked of it continually. fon would be
surprised TO see how deeply we are all inter-
ested in your affairs. l have been in Maine
several times during the past two months aud
was in Augusta on the day of the inauguration
of Gov. Garcelon's fiat legislature and the day
preceding: and I confess that the interest was
not at all beyond that manifested by people
all over New England. We have felt that not
only your State but the whole RepuDlicsn
form of government was ON trial. On the one
hand was fraud likely to be triumphant; on the
other hand bloodshed. That is the way it
seemed to us at one time. We could see no
peaceable solution possible If fraud ike
Garcelon's could triumph what were our In
stitutons good for any way Ii we could
meet and defeat fraud only by force, by
bloodshed, what then were our institutions
good for? Is there no way to defeat this vii
lainyo asked ven who rembled for the safety oil
our form Of goyl.nment. For a time the only
answer came yes, the people, next fall. But
that was cold comfort Had not the people
spoken in unmstakable terms at the last cleo
ton? And had not their will been brushed
aside by the seven immortal thieves! VIII
they not do it again and again? This seemed
all true, But soon there came the oyerwhelm-
ing, crushing blow from the Supreme Court.
Men hailed it with joy and delight. AT last
we had some authoritative solution. Gov.
Garcelon had gone to the court Of last resort
and it had answered him. True, the answer
was against him, but of course he would sub
nit Everybody said ''of course" He GER
tainly had not lost all sense of decency. He
would not insult the court and outrage COM
mon sense to such an extent as to persist In his
course and yet he did. Then he lost the re-
spect and confidence Of the few in his own
party who insisted that Garcelon at least
''meant we'll" that he was standing on the
constitution and the laws. When the Court
told him he was not and he refused to respect
their advice, he lost the respect of all well
meaning people so far as can learn. None OF
the Democrats OF any account attempt to de-
fend the count-out, but many did ask, in the
words Of Tweed, ''What are you going to do
about it?" It's wrong. they said, but we don't
see any way to remedy it. Such, in brief
is the way outsiders have looked at the case.
We hope all danger is now over.
/ see by the Traveller that ex-Captain w.
A. Bancroft of the Harvard eight of 1877, who
affixed to his boat-house at Springfield sign
bearing the words Reporters and loafers not
wanted here" is now very content to contrib
ute to the columns of contemporary as
''space" man, and receives much less salary
than the men upon whom he once endeayored
to cast an undeserved reproach. How true it
is that the mills of the gods grind exceeding
small even if sometimes they work slow. MIR.
Bancroft was then something of a pompous
little upstart, badly inflated by being a Har-
ward student md captain Of boating crew.
He sought to insult a whole profession by
chasing reporters of newspapers in search OF
information with common loafers. He would
iump at the chance to be one Of those reporters
now. A newspaper reporter in this city is not
CHEAP penny-a-liner nor a Bohemian as some
people seem to think. Our daily papers now
keep staffs of trained journalists and pay them
good salaries. They must be gentlemen, scholars
of no mean degree, dress we'll and conduct them
selves like gentlemen. The days OF seedy
journalists are happily. past. | believe 1t IS
undeniable that the profession is maintained
at as high q standard in Boston as anywhere
in the country.
minds me of two peculiar cases OF rapid rise in
the profession The first is that of Mr. Clark,
the leader writer of the Traveller. well re-
member the day when young Clark called at
the office of the old evening Times 10 get
something to do. He had just reached Amer
ca from England. He was tall, spare man,
save his broad shoulders, with smooth, pale
face. He went to work on the paper at low
wages and soon it collapsed. During some
wears he did miscellaneous newspaper WORK
until he got on to the Traveller. There the
quick eve of Roland Worthington detected a
bright. keen, intelligent writer, and Clark
soon became the leading editorial writer. he
is one of the most trenchant writers on the
press of this city to-day, always candid, yet
fearless and striking with ponderous blows. His
tone is much better than that OF his predeces-
sor in the position, and is, 1 understand far
more acceptable to Mr.. Worthington, the
manager. The Traveller, by the way, not
withstanding it is "stalwart" party paper, IS
the most independent paper in Boston today.
1t is the most Independent IN potatacs even
The other person of whom speak is Mr..
Balch, formerly Of the Herald, and now. at the
age of 26, managing editor OF the Philadelphia
Press. Mr.. Balch's record is quite well known
to the readers of this correspondence. learn
from the Quaker city that during the two
months he has been there he has become inn
mensely popular. He has revolutionized the
staid old Press until it is now one OF the bright
est, newsiest sheets in the east. One word OF
caution. If any young man aspiring 10 Iou!I-
alsm should chance toread these lines WISH
to caution him not to get the idea that every
newspaper man do what MesSrs. Clark and
BaIch have. You can't all be leader writers
and managing editors. If you have talent you
will rise quicker than in any other profession:
If YOU haven't any talent you will get kicked
out lively. There is no profession IN the world
frh his
Guicb as in journalism. That is the whole
secret of the success of the two men OF whom
have written. They were fitted for the posi-
tions which they now fill, and men controlling
newspapers, financially, with an eye TO Dusl-
ness found them and gave them place. That
is the secret and the whole secret But, young
man, L know many men who have grown gray
as reporters merely never having risen one de-
gree, so don't be too hasty nor too hopeful.
Boston has been the scene OF a great deal Oh
talent of one kind and another IN the amuse-
ment line this season. We now have seven
regular theatres and two "snide" opera houses,
against four theatres two years ago. They all
appear to be doing we'll, too, which would IN
dictate a decided improvement IN business. MI
S. c. Bennett has Just organized out OF oaiem
and Boston talent fine English opera company
for a New England tour. They will perform
'sThe Bells of Cornville." Ihave witnessed
the performance twice and can say that IL Is
one of the best things that has ever been ON the
New England route, This business OF tours RS
through New England has much increased OF
late Years. Nearly all first class companies
which come to Boston, start from there on tours
through the eastern States, visiting all the
larger places And our regular theatre COM
panies, the Boston and Museum, for instance,
make one or more extended trips every season.
Our Legislature has hardly got down to solid
work. Everything now is in committee. Most
of the legislation in this State is mapped out IN
committee, and if the chairman of committee
is an experienced legislator matter reported
sage An assault is now being made ON the
ballot box in the shape of movement TO abol-
ish the poll-tax as requisite for voting. 1t is
the only matter to come before the general
court which savors of purely partisan meas
ure. Some of the demagogical Butler leaders
arc putting the matter with much force. l
cannot believe it will succeed in this common.
wealth. We have had an entirely open winter
Inns far; not five days OF good sleighing all
winter. ocolI'
How the Earth will Perish.