Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-28
NEWSPAPER CONGRESSMAN.
EDITORIAL REPRESENTATIVES, AS
NATIONAL LAWMAKERS.

l 4
Members Of the Newspaper Fra
| ternity Seeking to Direct Con-
gress at Short Range.
| There are, perhaps, more newspaper men
as members of this Congress than were
ever before members of the same National
legislative body. In speaking of this
class it is understood to mean that they
are persons who have spent the major part
Of their lives in the newspaper profession
as editors and writers. There are some,
of course, who are stock holders in papers,
but were never accused of contributing
anything to the columns of their papers,
unless it was to " boost" themselves up in
the political armament. This class of gen
tlemen have been engaged in editing their
highly moral" if not widely circulated
journals, more from the counting-room
than upstairs in the dingy editorial sanctu-
airy.
| AMOS j. CUMMINGS.
The best type of thorough newspaper
writers who have appeared in Congress for
a great many years is found in Amos j.
Cummings late of the New York Sun, and
| Truman A. Merriman, a local political
reporter on the same paper. There is no
position on great newspaper, from that
of setting the type to defending libel suits,
which Cummings has not filled. He has
set type in every State in the Union, and
after leaving the cease" he became one of
Horace Greeley's best and most trusted
leutenants. From the Tribune he went to
the Sun, where he has presided for years as
the managing editor of that great paper
When the Egening Sun was started
last May, Mr.. Cummings was made its
editor-in-chief and practical manager, and
to-day it is the most widely circulated
evening newspaper printed in the English
language. Mr.. Cummings said to the
Courier-Journal correspondent a few days
ago that he rather enjoyed the life of a
Congressman, because it gave him rest,
and relieved him from a thousand ankle
ties and burdens which came to him daily
in the editorial management of Il news
paper.
REPORTER MERRIAIAN.
Mr. Merriman, at the time of his nomi-
nation as candidate for Representative in
the Forty-ninth Congress, was reporter
on the Sun, and had been assigned by the
city editor TO report the proceedings of the
convention that selected him as the candi-
date. There was a division of opinion as
' to who should be placed as the candidate,
which bore evidences of breeding discord,
when the name of Mr. Merriman was sug-
gested as an acceptable compromise can
didate. 1t was no sooner presented to the
convention than he was unanimously NOM
mated and was elected by majority of
over 10000 votes He made good Rep
resentative, and was returned to this Con-
gress without opposition. On the night of
! his first nomination he returned to the Sun
Office and wrote up the proceedings of the
convention Just the same as if another
! person had been made the standard-bearer
and all during the campaign he retained
his modest position on the paper, and
wrote number of pleasant things about
/ his opponent, but very rarely referring to
his own candidacy.
JAMES PHELAN, OF MEMPHIS,
Is another full-fledged newspaper writer,
| though he has always been an editor since
his advent into journalism, but has never
| had that training in the business as his
| New York colleague. He was never re-
porter, but has missed the early trials and
romances of the day and night hustlers in
the search of Scoops" that send con-
sternation to the offices of the hated con-
| temporary. Mr.. Phelan, however, is a
vigorous writer, and as editor of the
| Memphis Aualdnche welded considerable
influence in political circles of the State.
Mr.. Phelan, it would appear, is not prop
erly impressed with the dignity and high
calling Of an editor, as he failed, in con-
| tributing history of himself to the Con-
| gressonal directory, to mention the fact of
his high editorial position. He appears in
the directory as Il lawyer only.
THE BOUNDING BoUTELLE, OF MAINE,
Is the editor and proprietor of the Ban
gor Wing, one of the largest and most in
iiuential papers in his State. Before be-
/ coming one of the proprietors of the paper
/ he was for three years its managing ed
/ itor.
Ex-Governor Dingley, of the same
State is also an editor. For the past
thirty years he has presided over the des-
| TIMES of the Lewiston Journal, and in adj
dition to his duties in Congress he writes
nearly all of the political editorials which
appear in that great family journal.
| The youthful and scholarly Jacob Yost,
of Virginia, is one of the bright shining
lights of journalism of the Old Dominion.
He began his life as printer, and for the
past five years sat on the editorial tripod
of the Staunton Virginian.
! Senator Riddleberger, of the same State,
, =, a, af 81,
ing guided the editorial pen of the Snen-
andoah Democrat.
Edward Scull, Of Pennsylvania, is the
editor and proprietor of the Somerset
Herald, and has been in editorial harness
for over twenty-five years.
The fiery Thomas NJ. Bayne of Pitts |
burg, is another who is a journalist of
some prominence in the keystone State. |
He is the political and financial head of
the Pittsburg Press. He is also the Treas |
urer of the Press News Association of the
United States, rival of the Associated
Press.
Thomas l.. Thompson of California, has
been engaged in journalism since 1860.
He is the editor of the Sonoma Democrat,
and has for years welded great political
| influence in his section of the Golden
State
Senator Hearst, of the same State, is the
proprietor of the San Francisco Examiner,
the leading paper on the Pacific slope,
though it is edited aud controlled by his
young son, who has in the last two years
| developed into an enterprising journalist |
without equal in the Western country.
OTHER JOURNALISTIC FISH.
B. f. Shivley, of Indiana, is not the
only p,ap,har of tho oJ;tor;,l ,>~ofoo-;o.> |