The Washington critic., 1885-05-28
SANCTUM SECRETS.
The Management and Mismanagement oi
Now York NeMspnper Omces.

New York Newspaper Omces.
The report that the Rev. George H. Hep
worth has become editor-n-chief of the
New York Herald, says q New York CORE
spondent of the Providence star is er-
roneous i'm this that the Herald has no
editor-in-chief Mr. Hepworth is the chief
editorial writer and is the chief of the edi-
torial staff. He presides at the Herald
editorial council and helps the editorial
uttcrances of the paper, But the Uerdtd
is so arranged as to its departments that
there is no editor-in-chief-no manager as
in the, other newspapers who has control
over the entire paper. While MIR. Hep
worth will control the five columns that
constitute the editorial matter of the paper,
he will have nothing whatever TO do with
the matter that goes into the sixth column
of the editorial page. That is controlled
by Mr.. Flynn, the managing editor, who
has supervision of the news columns.
When ii comes to the advertising space,
neither Mr. Hepworth nor Mr.. Flynn have
n word to say: another set of men are all
powerful there. So the Herald is run in
departments, each having a head. The
result is a constant quarrel between heads
of departments in their cndeavors to en-
croach on others space and fight Others off
their own space There is not that har-
mony of action that follows when one man
is chief, who. being omnipOtent, can
subordinate one department to another as
occasion requires.
lIepworth is comparatively hcw to the
newspaper business, and whether he will
make q popular editor is somewhat ques-
toned by newspaper men in the city. He
was clergyman of considerable ability,
and he drew at one time something of Il
congregation but it did not last. He has
written religious notes for the Herald for u
number of years, which attracted no at
tention and were filled with common
place platitudes and dense proverbs. The
Hcydid staff was intensely disgusted at the
change and predict all manner of i'll to
the paper as a result.
The practice of having an editorial con-
sultation still prevails in the Herdh office,
although what beneficial results are OBJ
tanned no one is able to tell The editorial
writers and the heads of departments as
semble in great solemnity, and the lead
ing news Of the day is talked over and is
treated thereafter with no regard as to the
results of the consultation. The heads of
departments run their departments in de-
fiance of the opinions ofall others
The other papers run on different sys-
tens. In the Times Office Mr.. Charles II.
Miller is editor-in-chief, and the managing
editor is subordinate to him. Miller re-
mains in the Office until o'clock in the
morning, and devQtes himself almost en-
tirely to the editorial page. He supervises
and revises all the editorial matter. Mr.
tor, in the meantime, is whoop
ing up the news and is not
bothcling his head about editorial
matters. He is not absolute however, for
Miller has the helm. In the World Mr.
John II. Cockerill keeps an eye on every
Department and controls every line Of
copy. He gets to his desk by noon aud
remains there until after midnight and he
is writing editorials and suggesting news
matter all 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 q subordinate po-
sltion.
Probably the most complete system of
management is that of the iSun. 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 establishment to Chester
l.. Lord, the managing editor, and goes
home. He hasn't been down to the Office
of an evening in eight years, and his
orders are strict that in no event shall he
be communicated with or disturbed after
his departure. Lord takes up the work
where Mr.. Dana has dropped 1t, and there
after has absolute control over every line
that goes into the paper. The particular
strength of the Sau, 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 SIN must put the pith fit all before
its readers in one-halfthe space. 1t has,
therefore, corps Of seven men who do
nothing but revise copy from 6 p. III. un-
til the hour of going TO press. Each man
has department, and all sit in the same
room with the managing editor. A con-
slant interchange of conversation is going
on with reference 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 correspondence
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 a
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 him
| self with conflict of orders and instruc-
| ton when the fatal moment arrives. With
| all hands bearing down on him to put in
| the special matter he is at his wits ends.
| There is confusion everywhere.