Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-26
REPORTERS AND EDITORS.
A Little Essay by One who Seems
To be Il eRsOna bl " Well Informed.

A few days ago promised TO tell you some
thing more about reporters You have learned
already what easy times they have; but often
those who have the best chances In this world
do lot seem to appreciate the fact. and some
times reporter gets this way and thinks his
salary ought TO be raised. SO he speaks TO the
editor about il. Editors are very liberal men
Many Of them do not think any more OF q dollar
than some men do OF their lives. but they
know that II the reporters were paid too mucn
they would save their money aud buy the
paper, and then the editors would be ike the
CbiDeSe-they would have to 60. So In self
protection they are obliged TO keep the salaries
They hate TO do this, but self-preServation is
the first law OF editors as well as OF nature
Many editors preserve themselves so we'll that
the reporters never buy them out But edi-
tors are kind-nearted. MT. Dana, OF the New
York sun, once heard that horse which had
been very fast, but which everybody thought
played out, was going TO be sold at auction py
his master. SO he sent around aud bought the
poor horse for 81 90. The next summer he
put bin In big race, lust for fUn," every
6Oay said There were eG great , man. noted
money on them, Mr.. DanaS horse only bring
ing 81 In $50 pools. But he won the race aud
all the money that was bet This Is called
''paf ally ZiBg the pool box" SO you see that
the fairies are kind to those who do good.
Some good stories are told about reporters
Once young man who had graduated at Har-
ward College, and was splendid scholar In
ba e ball and rowing, came 10 a large western
CT and hired out 10 be reporter. The next
tie editor sent him TO an inquest. He
| manuscript to make book. rhe editor case
! this to an experienced reporter. aad said: ECut
! thai stun down to a stickfal.' After a while
! be went over to where the experienced re-
| porter was sitting aid said: How ,.;d that
| new duck manage with the inauest?" con"
! eath the experienced reporter, he got every.
| thfSg-except the veroict." And then the
! Other reporters that were sitting around
| laughed heartily, but the editor opiv let drop a
few words of tropical warmth and discharged
the new reporter-who was very much sur
prised to see that the paper continued TO come
out regularly after he had left 1t TO It's fate.
New reporters always tell everybody that they
are Journalists, " but the OLD ones call them
deck hands New reporters always think they
know every thing, and In some offices IL is Gus
tomary ID put dish OF salt on new reporter
desk. This Is delicate way OF telling hin
that he Is too fresh. Reporters never like to
hurt any oody's feelings Once an editor IN
Cincinnati hired reporter in Chicago to do
some work for his paper. After awhile the re
porter forgot to send anything about an i'm
portant matter, which made the editor very
angry. SO he sent a. dispatch to the reporter
saying: You are discharged. Why did you
get left OF that murder? Answer" When the
reporter read this he laughed to himself and
said: Il wonder IL that old plum thinks he can
get the best OF me?" So he wrote the longest
kind OF an answer, explaining all about the
matter, and closed by saying he was glad he
nected With paper that allowed itself TO get
scooped. 1t took $50 words to say this, and,
as 1t was sent by telegraph. the Cincinnati
editor had pretty big bill to pay. But It
taught him never to ask for explanations by
telegraph again, ard that Chicago reporters
were pretty liable to keep up with the process
siop.-FroIR ''7dfeS .for Tie Lite Folks" BY
MIRA HalS'FGR-