The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-01
sANCTUM SECRETS.
The Management and Encouragement of
New York Newspaper Offices.

The Management and Encouragement of
New York Newspaper Offices.
Letter in providence star.
The report that the Rev. Geo H. Hepworth
has become editor in-chief of the New York
Herald is erroneous in this, that the Herald has
no edtor-in chief Mr.. Hepworth is the chief
editorial writer and is the chief of the editorial
staff He presides at the Herald editorial conn
Gil and helps the editorial utterances Of the pa
per But the Herald is so arranged as to its de-
partments that there is no observation-disclosures
manager as IN the other newspapers, who has
control over the entire paper. While Mr.. hep
worth will control the five columns that
constitute the editorial matter of the paper, he
will have nothing whatever to do with the mat
ter that goes into the sixth column of the editor
ial page. That is controlled by Mr. Flynn, the
managing editor, who has supervision of the
news columns. When it comes to the advertis
ing space, neither Mr.. Hepworth nor Mr. Flynn
have word TO say; another set of men are all
powerful there. So the Herald is run IN depart
ments. each having head. The result is con-
slant quarrel between heads of departments in
their endeavors to encrs ach on others space and
fight others off their space. There is not
that harmony of action that follows when enc
man is chief. who. being omnipotent, subor-
dinate one department to another as occasion
quires
Hepworth is comparatively new to the news
paper business, and whether he will make pop
ular editor is somewhat questioned by newspa-
per men in the city. He was clergymen OF
considerable ability, and no drew at one time
something of congregation, but it did not
last. He has written religious notes for the Her
aid for number of years. which attracted no at
tentlon and were filed with commonplace plat
tudes and dense proverbs. The Herald staff was
intensely Disguised at the change. and predict all
manner OF Ill to the paper as result.
The practice of having an editorial eonsulta-
ton still prevails in the Herald Office although
what beneficial results are obtained no one is
able to tell. The editorial writer's and the heads
of departments assemble in great solemnlty, and
the leading news of the day is talked over and
is treated thereafter with regard to the re-
suits of the consultation. The heads of depart
ments run their departments in defiance Of the
opinions of all others.
The other papers run on different systems In
the Times Office Mr. Charles II. Miller is editor
in chief, and the managing editor is subordinate
to him. Miller remains in the Office until
o'clock in the morning, and devotes himself
almost entirely to the editorial page. He su-
pervises and revises all the editorial matter.
Mr.. John e. Reid, the managing editor, in the
meantime, is whooping up the news, and is not
bothering his head about editorial matters. He
is not absolute however, for Miller has the helm.
In the World Mr.. John A. Cockerill keeps
eye on every department and controls every line
of copy He gets to his desk Oy noon and re-
mains there until after midnight, and he is
writing editorials and suggesting news matter
AL day and all night Mr. Ballard Smith, who
has been the rounds of New York journalism,
has at length got back to the World, but in
subordinate position.
Probably the most complete system of man
agement is that of the Sun. Mr.. Dana puts in
FIVE hours day of sturdy work in writing and
revising editorial matter, and at about o'clock
in the afternoon turns over the entire establish
ment to Chester l.. Lord, the managing editor,
and goes home He hasn't been down to the Of
flee of an evening in eight years, and his orders
are strict that in no event shall he be communi-
Gated with or disturbed after his departure.
Lord takes up the work where Mr.. Dana has
dropped it, and thereafter has absolute control
over every line that goes into the paper. The
particular strength of the Sun is the excellence
with which the news and editorial departments
are systematized. AS much or more news and
correspondence are received daily as any of the
big eight page papers get, but the Sun must put
the pith of it all before its readers in
onehaf the space. 1t has, therefore,
corps of seven men who do nothing
bat revise copy from P. M. until
the hour of going to press. Each man
has department, and all sit in the same room
with the managing editor. A constant inter
ence to this, that or the other article and the
amount of space that each article can occupy is
settled upon before it gets to the composing
room. All the news of the day and the cor
respondence passes through these mems hands,
and they revise, cut and slash as the occasion
demands
In the Tribune the most complicated system
prevails, Mr.. Whitelaw Reid is supreme and
under him in order are the managing editor the
day editor and the night editor, through all of
whom trivial order or suggestion must pass.
The city editor has to fight them all to get his
matter into the paper, and the night editor, on
whom alights the final paroxysm of getting the
paper to press. is beside himself with conflict
of orders ard instruction when the fatal moment
arrives. With all hands bearing down on him
to put in the special matter he is at his wits
end. There is confusion everywhere.