Morris tribune., 1883-01-20
NEWSPAPER WRITERS.

The Paper World remarks: The
complaint has gone forth that the every
dfe' vsung men of the press, and some
of the old ones, are "color-blind They
miss in their nightly toll that subtle
flavor, that graphic quality, that aroma
of description, which is best labeled
"color."
While the justice of this complaint is
freely admitted by the editorial profess
sion, they claim that outsiders cannot
possibly estimate the difficulties which
lie in the way of securing news writing
of uniform descriptive excellence. The
man who can write correctly, concisely,
rapidly and graphically does not multi
ply himself to any great extent. The
first then of these qualities are indis-
pensable in daily, and indeed periodical
work; the latter is certainly very desir-
able. But when one has to keep time
with his pen to the modulations of the
press in the basement, while it runs of
the first half of the paper, he does not
pause very often or long in the hope of
drawing "the aroma of description"
from the bottom of his inkstand, as it
were. There are many men who, while
they even do excellent work if left to
their own time and way, notably fail
when they attempt to provide music
for press that runs seven nights
in the week. The best newspaper
style is not formed in a day or year.
Supposing young man, fresh from
college, joins the "press gang" of first
class Office. The words of his COM
mencement stage Grafton are still ring
ing in his ears, and they represent his
highest ideals of style. He is eager to
produce them in an editorial; for he
looks down on mere news-gathering as
beneath the high estate of one so learned
as himself, and does not always remem-
ber that there is no present vacancy in
the chair of the managing editor. He
would not be human if he failed to work
considerable "highfalutin' into the
isems which he writes. The inexorable
blue pencil cuts all this out, and the
youth soon settles down to hard facts
and the business of his own department,
coming in time to have horror of for
id newspaper English" Then comes
the danger that he will go to the other
extreme and his work become devoid of
all color, on the same principle that the
traditional Yankee, once noted for ask
ing questions while abroad, now travels
with his lips so closely sealed that the
natives have hard work to find out what
he is like. But if the beginner has any
thing in him he will gradually. learn his
forte and come to weave into his work q
color of his own that is all the more ac-
ceptable for its originality.
The man who sees thing well can
usually describe it we'll. Habits Of
close observation and well-trained
memory make up the foundations Of
success of all brain workers. And the
journalist who can store up any bit Of
color he may chance upon, for instant
use when it is most needed, is fortu-
nate, indeed. He is like the lawyer,
who, when he was congratulated on tho
exceeding appropriateness of story he
had told the jury, replied, "Oh, well I
have been waiting fifteen years for a
chance to tell that story" And doubly
fortunate is the news-chronicler who,
seeing and remembering events well
also senses their correct relations to
each other.
That the tone of our periodical news
writing is improving no one will deny.
The quality of the men who devote
themselves to it is constantly rising,
both as regards character and educa-
ton. The reporter is growing power,
and h will yet come to stand on par
with the best of editors. Indeed, he
should be able to play the editor at any
moment, and not only be allowed but
expected to make editorial comments on
the events which are occurring in his
own field.