The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-31

that there IL great deal more trading la
news In the morning than In The evening.
Old correspondents sAy. too. that there IL
not nearly 80 much rivalry among news
pufysyors nov a. thsrs was ten years ago.
a complete one in itself. II has its duties
and It's pleasures, its studies aud lie rslsra.
tions. SIS social Joys nd griefs. very mush
the tame az that OF any other class There
e an idea that jour average correspondent
~ n bohemian. with neither home nor fam
Ny nor ambition except 20 earn his weekly
some men In the newspaper world who have
this sort OF record, as there are In any
other professionalism 10 Is a profession-but
they are the exception, not the rule. Most
oi them have their families some OF them
live Ia their own bcuses. keep their own
horfts and buggies and have their own pews
IN church. ltma thing quite out OF the
usual order TO the minds OF most people 10
see q Newspaper reporter passing tho plato At
church or filling the position OF usher al one
OF the most highly fashionable churches
But such things happen In Washington. IL
IL no uncommon thing to see the names OF
ths wives ard daughters OF proml-
nent correspondents 6guring largely In
the annals OF society. or TO ses them
In perton taking part In the doings OF that
mysterious kaleidoscope compound, the co
cial world There Is. too, more or less social
relationship between the families OF the cor.
respondents, though, where there are 80
many, there Is tendency TO divide mp into
parties whose tastes run In similar lines.
There are some whose tastes and acqualnt.
ances run in the line OF the theatrical profes
sion; others who cultivate the literary; 9th.
ers who turn their attention ID the social
world OF Washington, and Others whose ac'
qpainiance takes more conservative line
and comprise department people, aud even
the families Of members Of Congress. Oh the
hundred or two OF newspaper correspond
ents who are here, IL Is probable thai more
than one-half live In boarding houses, for so
many Of them are sent here b. their papers
for so brief time that II Is useless for than
10 attempt to establish themselves There
are others, however. who live here, who
make Washington their permanent homes,
who are here the year around and one year
after another, who have been here for tweI.-
ty years or more They have, usually, their
homes, some OF them rented some OF them
their own.
There is one peculiarly about the Wash.
ington correspondent that Is worthy OF notice
and much to be wondered at-thst Is bis re-
luclance TO accept anything new as relates to
his own personal methods. Persistent seekers
after news as they are, they reject anything
new In their own line until IL ia actually
forced upon them through recognition by
the business world about them. Take the
typewriter for instance. 1t is universally
conceded to be an excellent thing for thols
to have much writing to do, yet these men
who make their living by writing, who do
nothing else from one years end 10 another,
and who would ind il q great relief after a
busy day in the "deld" where they are com.
PEELED 10 write more or less by hand. reject
IL. There are few who are now beginning
its ute; q very few who have Used and CON-
me nded ii for years but they are altoge her,
not 10 ger cent. OF the whole. Take that
laborfaving instrument The telephone.
Here it connects you with the White
House, the home of every Cabinet Of
ficer. the desks OF dozens OF department
officials who are always willing to answer
any inquiry you may desire to make, the
Capitol, the Postotfice, the hotels, thu local
newspaper offices, the telegraph offices, aud
every news center; yet yoe can count on the
fingers OF your two hands all of the ne va.
paper correspondents who have 1t at resi-.
silence or office. The duty OF the correspond
ent requires him 10 travel about the city q
great deal. He must, IL successful and alert
visit all the departments, the hotels, the Cap
iiol, the White House, and often the resi-.
derce OF some officisl, besides visiting hi:
own home occasionally. Here. in Washing
ten. there is no method OF travel more popu
| lar, more swift, more comfortable. more in
expensive or more time and labor saving
than by bicycle or tricycle.. The asphsl
streets are as smooth as floor. and extend
/
steed' in any direction, with the utmos
ease aud comfort, day or night, after thu
street cars have stopped or while they run
/ BY II you save time, labor and money, anC
make that which other wise would be drudg
cry pleasure. The bicycle is sufficiently
popular that the person wac rides II
does not become unplessantly conspicuou
thereby. for there are hundreds and hun
dfeds, probably thousands, in the city anC
10 be seen on the streets at all hours. De
partment officials, business men, physicians
az people OF all classes ride them, and many
ladies use the tricycle. with grace aud ease
yet with all of these recommendations auC
practical advantages which the machin,
offers the newspaper man, ii is rejected
4 There are but two or three Newspaper mer
who ride the bicycle, and but one OF thesl
who II axes il OF constant practical use IL
his business. 1t seems odd that these men
who are constantly seeking something new
who may only make success by hard and
and constant work, who lead public opinion
In many things OF grsai importance. whe
claim 10 be progressive in many things
should reject the very things which woulc
aid them in their own success, simply be
cause they are comparatively new, and be
cause their fathers and grandiathers beforI
IL EN- did not use them.
Ia their Office habits most Washington cor
respondents are gregario1s. II Is not IN
common to find two or three or four or nor,
correspondents occupying the same ct1ce
There are advantages in 1t, an'
also disadvantages. There is opportunity 10
| interchange of news and for division of ex
penses, bat the result is not always satisfac
tory in every particular.
or course not all men who come 10 Wash
ipeton as correspondents succsed. 1t take
OIL sort OF talent to succeed in one place an,
quite another to be successful somewher
ellie. Often the man VINO was q successful
/ eCitor or repOrter in some CITY thOusan,
miles awey is Surprised to find himself fail
ure here. The man who would be successful
here mutt have large amount OF industry
full modicum OF common sense. o kno vi
edge Of public men and public affairs, botl
past and present and trace" OF that oual
ity designated in the popular and ex pressi Y
star z Of to-day as gall Bat. most of al
he must be honest, earnest, untirinz, ''iu
slant in season and out OF season." truthful
fearless, both as TO politicians and as to tn
views ard opinions OF his fellow correspond
erts, and always gentleman, The key I