The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-12
Errors of The Press.


Prof. Hirdersey has given up the idea
| OF publishing reform newspaper, and.
has returned to the college. where he
will resume for a time, the work of
teaching the languages to young men
| who contemplate journalism. The pro-
lessons newspaper experience was not
| pleasant and he only issued one edition
OF the Weekly LiiGd. He took the proof
sheets, after the elaborate article had
been set up, and read them carefully.
lie did not demand ''revise, " and of
course the foreman did not insist upon
the extra precaution. When the paper
came out, the professor discovered, with
horror, that he had been made to use
many expressions not at all consistent
with grammar. In rage he called the
foreman.
Look heren' he exclaimed. "You
make me say, have took and had
saws; marked all of these erroIs and
told you to see that they were cor
| rected"
The foreman looked at the paper for
moment and replied:
ut is enough to make man swear"
at is enough to make an angel
swear" snorted the professor.
I'D sue en- unused the foreman,
much concerned and deeply grieved.
''Sue whom?"
''The parties that sold you the press"
''What have they to do with it?''
''Why, sir, they sold you an incorrect
press. No matter how your paper is
| set up, its correctness depends on the
WY the press makes the impression.
You might 90 along for year and not
have a single error, and again, you
might have dozen in paragraph"
81 never heard of such a thing" said
| the professor, in establishment, waver-
ing in that indefinable credufty, the
| inseparable companion of impractical
| education.
80, yes,'' continued the foreman,
''it's something that catches the best of
'em. Walter, the great English news
! paper man, labored for years trying to
get at some rule by which all presses
| might be corrected, but its efforts only
received the purple robe of partial sue
cess. He could correct the Walter
presses, but could do nothing with the
machines of other make. He had a
great deal of trouble, for once, just as
| he was congratulating himself, the press
slipped cog and called the King a fool
and the Lord Chancellor a rascallion. )"
''This is most extraordinary informa-
tion," said the professor, thoroughly
convinced by the artful foreman. Il
think that | shall prepare lecture on
the errors of the press "
"a good idea, sir, as the newspaper
men are 10th to let the public into their
confidence.
Don't you think that our press can
| be corrected"
"Not without great expense. You
would have to get man from New
York and pay him largely"
81 am sorry that wentinto this thing.
Don't you think you could take the
office, and after awhile pay me what
you think it is worth?"
"The responsibility would be great,
sir"
81 know that, but you are willing to
try, are you not?"
so, yes. I'll try"
on my hitherto darkened pathway, and
have given me a new insight into
mechanical philosophy. Assist me
further in getting up data for my
lecture, and | Will make you present
of the office"
':It will require a deal of research
among books and manuscripts stored
in the archives of typographical secrecy,
but I'll undertake the arduous labor"
.'My enlightening friend, here is my
hand, and in after years, when l be-
come famous as greatlecturer, remem-
Der that to you my latch string ever
hangs on the outside. "-ArkanSalO
| Tr0UeIer.