The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-03
WASHINGTON WHITES.
A Glance at the Papers of the
Capital.
THE FEMALE REPORTERS.
When Fashion and Folly Meet The
Demand for Gossip and Society
News-General Notes.
SALT LAKE CRY, Oct, 2, 1886.

From our Own Correspondent.
Considering the advantage it possesses
in being the seat of the government
Washington, D. c., is certainly not III
to the mark IN being able to boast OF
first class daily newspaper, and have
often heard it asserted that in the neal
future-unless the proprietors OF th'
daily papers now published in Wash
ington awake from their lethargy anC
display considerably more enterprise
some persons having the necessary cap
ital, brains and experience, will come
along, found a paper to meet the re-
quirements of the city, and make for
tune.
At the present time there are pub
Gshed in the city two morning papers
The Post and the National Republicans
and two evening papers-the Star anG
the CriGc-exactly the same number
of morning and evening dailies a:
are published in Salt Lake CITY
Washington, however, is away ahead
in weekly papers, there being no less
than a score all told, nine being pub.
ished on Saturday, eight on SUNDAY,
and three on other days OF the week.
Each of these papers nave their patrons
and supporters, and it is only fair to
presume that they would not be pub
lished If they did not pay. In Wash
ingtOn, or anywhere else, people very
soon tire of running newspapers for the
fun of the thing. They are started. of
course, with the object of advocating
the views of certain party, but over
and above this they are expected to pay
their way and leave a surplus into the
bargain. The advocacy of certain prin-
ciples is all very well, but after all the
great object in that as in every other
line, is 10 make money.
Most of the weekly papers in Wash
ington are extensively read. More espe-
cialiy is this the case with those pub
lished on Sunday morning: The Capital,
the Chronicle, the Gazette, the Hatchet,
the Herald and National InteIH0enc r,
the National Free Press and the Republic,
all pu blished on Sunday morning, must
have, combined, very large circula-
ton. Everybody seems to purchase
one or other of these papers.
Hundreds are sold at the hotel
news stands, hundreds more are
sold on the streets. and thousands
are delivered at the residences of private
subscribers. All these weekly papers
are ably edited. Each has its
speciality in politics and news. Several
pay particular attention to Department
matters, and of course they are patron.
lied by Department people. Under
10nl-de-plumeS they give vent to their
grievances; individual bosses" are dis
cussed for their rulings or actions in
certain matters, and, generally, govern
mental topics are taken up and con-
sidered pro and con. Others again de-
vote considerable of their space to
society news"-a great item in Wash
ington during the height of the season
and gossip of every kind. The society
news" and gossip column" are con-
trlbuted, as a rule, by female reporters
ladies Of culture, education and ex-
perienCe, who have access to the inner
circles of society; who are adopts at de-
scribing the female figure and form;
who can give, to perfection, the style
Of the hat, the hair, the dress, and all
that goes to make up 1.-The female form
divine" This class of reporters-the
female society eporters-have the
e1tree to all high class receptions,
whether at the White House, or at the
residences of the Cabinet ministers; the
Supreme Court Judges; the President
OF the Senate, or the Speaker of the
House; the numerous foreign legations;
the residences or Senators, Congress-
men, or anywhere else of society" re-
pute, and there is always exhibited
among this class, if no other, an eager
desire to read a report of such gather
ings. Except upon very State" &C.
casions the daily newspapers of the
city do not enter into minute par
ticulars in regard to the matter of
dress, style, etc., so that the weekly
papers-at least several Of them-make
1t their special line to give full de-
tails of everything IN this regard with a
view to satisfying the class above re-
ferred to, who must be pleased at all
hazards. This class like to read that
their daughters. at such and such a re-
ception, made their debut; that. dressed
in such and such style, they "looKed
that "their department
was easy, graceful and winning" that
their dancing was utterly exquisite,
and their singing perfectly divine
and all that sort of rot. Yet in a city
like Washington, where fashion and
folly meet during the height of the So
Oiety season, ii pays certain newspapers
to make a speciality of reporting
gossip" and society news" The pro-
prietors of these papers never stop to
enquire into the utility of such busi-|
ness. They find that it pays, and that
is all there is to it. They Dander to the
public taste. What does it matter
though the taste be depraYed? What
does it matter though the publication
Of certain news tends to vanity and
pride and sin so long as it satisfies the
demand OF the age and the hour? The
the object and aim is the
root OF all evil''-money. Itis,simply
question nowadays, of keeping within
the bounds of the law and making
money out Of whatever article-irre
specuEe OF its virtue-the public de-
mands. This may be a deplorable state
Of affairs yet it is a state of things that
exists all the same.
Several of the weekly papers in Wash.
lngton, however, pay little or no atten-
ton to society" or gossip news.
They are strictly partiZan papers. Poll
tics Is their field. They each serve their
party and allow other papers to attend
10 the fashionable pGbululn in which SO
many people delight.
At one time The CAPITAL. under the
editorship Of Don Piatt, was a very
DODuIar weekly DaDrT in XVoSbincrfo,,