St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-01
sIDFNIR 1fE>.AGEs

Why there should always be a fever OF
anxiety among the newspapers in regard TO
the publication Of the message Of the Presi-
dent to congress Is almost a marvel From
time immemorial there has been a strife to
publish the message first, and in many in
stances the only enterprise of the whole year
among the papers would be to get the earliest
copy of the message and issue it in printed
form. The curious thing about the matter is
that publishers should be at such infinite
pains and after considerable expense to
serve the public with a document no one
cares much for and no one ever reads-well,
hardly ever reads, perhaps one man in ten
thousand reads ii all through. In
the earlier period, before there
were telegraph facilities so eopious as
those now enjoyed, when there were no fast
mails, and only the slow and logy stage
coach, the strife among the publishers was
highly exhiirating, and it was grand thing
to issue the message in two or three days or
more after its delivery, as the distance might
be from Washing ton, and then time en-
ployed in setting the type was a matter of
boastfulness, and TO gain an hour or two over
rival was thing go satisfactory that 1t was
spoken of at intervals during the year as
great journalistic feat and victory.
An instance is recalled of the old Wing
days, when the publisher OF the adminstra-
ton paper in a fourishing city determined
to Guido his Democratic neighbor. he sought
the postmaster and procured from him
a key that would unlock the mail bags, aud
being also armed with an order to the post
master Of given town many miles away,
the enterprising publisher stationed relays
Of horses at short distances 50 that they
could be pushed at high speed, and then
calmly waited the advent of the coach bear
ing the coveted document. Upon its arrival
he possessed himself of all copies of papers
containing the message, and rode post haste
with frothing steeds to set his printers at
work, thinking the while of the great scoop
in store for his rival. What Was his dismay
upon arriving in town to find that his cOtem-
porary had outwitted him, and having pro-
cured ''copy" from another quarter, had his
paper already out containing President Fill
more's message. OF course there
the part of the successful printer, and in de
scribing the efforts Of the unsuccessful party
graphic account was given of the method
adopted to secure the prize, part of which
was the charge upon the Wing editor of rob-
bling the mail, minute description being
given of his intercepting the coach, Selling
the mail bag as If a highwayman and open
ing The same by means of rat-tail file. This
was too much. 1t was bad enough 10 be
beaten in the enterprise, but TO be charged
with being a mail robber was not to be en-
dured, SO the Wing editor brought libel
suit against his Democratic brother and they
were forever at enmity, though the law suit
was never tried.
Some of the Presidents, In order TO accom-
modate the press, sent out advance copies,
SO that as soon as the message might be de-
hvered to congress it could also be given TO
the public, and simultaneously in all parts
of the country. But this plan failed TO meet
the emergency, as some publishers forgot to
wait until the message had been read TO
congress. Latterly the strife for the early
copy has been centered at Washin gton, and
the special correspondents vie with each
other to secure the great catch. A few years
ago an advance proof was stolen from the
Presidents Office and sold to a New York
and two western papers for 81, 500, and the
message published before its delivery.
One of the western pagers was the Chicago
Times, but its enterprise was really unavail-
ing. The Chicago Tribune got an early copy
of the New York Times which was one Of the
81, 500 syndicate, and the difference in time
between New York and Chicago, the use of
the wires and the fact that It was Sunday
morning when papers do not have early mails
to meet, enabled the Tribune to be on the
street within half an hour of the Times with
the message complete.
1t is the custom now of the Presidents 10
observe the greatest secrecy in the prepare
ton Of their messages and to prevent all sur
repttious access. Grant submitted his mes
sage to Congress in manuscript, thus mar
rowing his secret TO few hands.
In the preparation Of his message which
viii reach Congress to-day, President Arthur
has used all safeguards. He has caused IT
all to be put in type at the Government
Printing Office. To prevent premature pro-
mitigation, the copy is placed in sealed envel-
opes, has been sent in small installments by
special messenger to the Public Printer. The
type has been set in a small room, by few
trusty men under the eye of the Public
Printer.
As the copy was put in type proof was
taken by the Public Printer aud the type then
taken 10 the clerks Office and put into safe.
The Public Printer having read the first proof
and superintendent the corrections another
proof was taken to send to the President,
and the type relocked in the safe. This
procedure it was thought would secure to
congress the first presentation of the message
and so far the plan is not known to have
miscarried.