Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-02-01
sASCrU& SECRETS.
An Interesting Lecture ON Re-
porting by : Practical
Reporter.

new 1erk heralu, A.l
Mr.. David A. Curtis, a New York
journalist, delivered, in, Association
Hall. Harlem, last night, his lecture
on Secrets of the Sanetum.' The
speakers thorough conversance with
his subject enabled him to present it
in a clearer light than has hitherto
been shed on it, and his familiarity
with the inner side of journalistic life
facilitated his painting it in colors
bold but natural. The discourse d.
vested the sanctum of its mysteries
and gave a true insight into the
methods and the humors of news
gathering. From beginning to end 1t
was honest, thoughtful aud possessed
of both interest and amusement. The
lecturers delivery was easy and col
loquial at times, but generally it was
forcible and impressive.
He began by saying that there is no
such thing as vacuum In civilization
more than in nature. The newspaper
answers the demand of the public to
be informed of its own dOings, and the
reporter appeared to gil a necessity OF
the newspaper. 1t is of the reporters
aud their work that he spoke especi-
ally, saying that he thought it was
time for somebody who knew some
thing about them to open his mouth,
as they had been so sorely misrepre-
scented. After sketching the CHROME.
Gus and laughable notions many peo-
pie have of reporters he described tho
ideal reporter, contrasting him with
some speciments of the old time penny
a. liner. The reporter Of to day, he
said, must see in shorthand instead vt
writing in shorthand, as formerly.
Among the requirements of the pro.
fession he enumerated health and
moral stamina, courage, elf-possession,
keen perceptive faculties, good mem
Org, an accurate Judgment, unblushing
audacity and fund of general infor-
nation. But, above all things, the
! reporter must be quick, No sluggard,
he said, ever made good reporter,
The speaker then enlarged on the
nature and necessity of. these various
qualifications, and illustrated theiI
/ application by anecdotes. Speaking
! of the fraternal feeling existing among
the profession he said, Perhaps the
kindest thing | can say Of my brothers
: is that they are kinder than brother,
J to one another in times of real need
IL want to say a word about inter
views" Mr.. Curtis went on to say
while speaking of an unerring memory
as reportorial need. 1T is the
+ fashion to sheer at interviews. Mel
profess to dread a reporter who comes
to interview him, and they often de-
clare that it is an impertinence for the
! press to pry into their affairs. Now
: as ruic, the press does not try to pry
into anybody's affairs unless there il
something wrong going on. 1t doe
sometimes happen that a man ma!
know something of interest to thu
) public. and a reporter is sent to SC,
Z him. 1t is high compliment to al
E most any man to offer him -the priv
u lege Of talking to. the p1blic through
;, the columns of a respectable newspa
! per, and yet many men pretend to de
J spise the privilege 1t is true tina
q there have been abuses OF the custom
3 but there need be none. If you d
q not want to be interviewed, say so
9 Do not plead the baby act By ssyinI
y that the reporter worried you into it
= He could not worry you into lendin
y him $50 Ii you are afraid Of bein
. misrepresented, all you have to do !
= to insist on seeing a report before it
= published. Ii an ignorant or i'll
, hammered man comes to interview
l you, you a-e no more bound to talk t
y him than to any other ignorant, Ill
y hammered man"
as HOW THE BROTHERHOOD is RE
Is cRUITED.
= The variety of people who are re
y porters was next alluded to. Th
y brotherhood were recruited from a
~ the walks OF life. 1t has been con
4. pared to the army David gathered i
= the cave of Adulum, land everyor
~ that was 10 distress and every one thi
I5e was in debt, and everyone that vi
u disconnected gathered themselves unt
i him." The really good reporter
- very apt to be man ofgreat percepti'
= faculty, With gift OF ready expressio
- - who has found out, probably by acc
~ dent, in the course of some kind
~, adventurous life, that he is fit f
" nothing else but to write for the new
- papers. One piece Of advice, the le
= turer said, he always gave to men wi
- wanted to marry or who wanted
d be reporters. He gotit out of Pune
Z He always said, Don't" But VIII
l man could not possibly be hap
h. unless he got particular girl,
~ - when be could not sleep nights unle
= :; he wrote for the newspapers, he wou
.. >, say to such man, BLESS you, my SO
~ Heaven calls some men to glo
20 ~ through thorny paths. Go on Y
~ are called.
he The newspaper was then shown
'N' be purely business enterprise a.
not a philanthropic one. Just th
:, was published which the public war
'u' ed to read, not what the public Dug
'rd to read. Many people know how
run a newspaper than the editc
. know. But the lecturer thought tn
Tor it didn't take much intelligence
'ut find out that a chair wobbled VIII
&C. you sat in it, though it did take
10. smart man to make a chair th
,us wouldn't wobble. Impersonal jou
I've nalism was a good thing for the new
nc paper, but a bad thing for the write
Ir much as it would be good for pu
me fishing house to issue Dickens wor
ing as its own productions without t
ep- authors name. The editors Wo
re-. called for no more ability than I
on reporters, for on the faithfulness
me the reports depended the success
a / - Il.