Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-04-05


BY CITIZENS OF BLOOMINGTON.
After having listened to the portly
President of the Association, and to
the suave and handsome Snlvely, it
would seem you would not wish to
hear further from our members; but
as l have been requested to bear my
part, shall, in the language of a dis
tinguished statesman whom you all
know l admire, "prove no deadhead
to this enterprise" My subject, to be
assured, does not apply to the people of
Bloomington.
Away back in the dim and distant
past, before the Illinois Press Associa-
ton was organized to elevate the STAN
dard of journalism in Illinois, there was
a faint suspicion existed, and it was
sometimes expressed, that there were
"deadheads" among the editors who
presided over the press Of this state.
However well that suspicion may have
then been founded it has no founda-
ton to-day. Let us see for few mo-
mentS whether there are not other
classes of people more liable to the
charge of "deadheadism" than the jour
nalist.
l have been q lawyer for about
twenty-one years, and l know some
thing of the habits and characteristics
of that highly respectable class of our
people. The princely income which
awaits the newspaper man drew me
partially of late years into the profess
sion which you are honoring by your
presence here tonight.
The lawyer will approach the editor
CHS friend, Of cOurse) and in the most
confident manner imaginable, evident
Iy believing in its truth, say: THAT was
a great speech of mine that l made in
that case to-day, and the winning of
that verdict was a marked victory -
The editor answers, "Yes, am glad to
hear you did yourself credit" Yes. it
was "a great success and the people will
want to hear about it. and of course
you will write it up with all the necca-
sary embellishments that yuu know 80
well how to weave i'll. 1t will do me
lots of good, and | shall be obliged to
you for it," The editor writes it up in
glowing colors. emitting to say any
thing OF the fact that half the jury
went to sleep on him, although the
ethics of the profession Of law does not
permit the lawyer to advertise in the
editors paper. leave it to you, which
is the "deadhead" in that case, the law
yer or the editor?
Then there is the doctor who takes
the editor aside and modestly (the doc
tors in the very nature of things are
compelled to be modesD informs the
editor that he has just performed very
difficult surgical operation, one that
could not be performed by any other
doctor in the country. IL assure you it
is very, very interesting case, and the
people ought to know who it is that can
perform these operations. The family
unfortunately are not among the prom
inent people; and few will know of my
skill In surgery unless you
write it up" The editor kindly gives
the modest doctor a cofufnn of space,
he knows that medical ethics
forbid the doctor from advertising in
his newspaper; that DR.. Rauch will not
permit him to advertise; that the law
which seems to be DR.. Ranch (who is a
law unto himself and to them) prohib-
its them from so doing. lie cheerfully
tells Of the mang!ed anatomy of that
patient assuming its won't
ed shape, vigor and health. and heates
an editor al sigh as he cortemplates
the unpaid doctor bill that followed so
closely after the end of Mary's wrestle
with the measles: leave it to you,
who is the deadhead, the doctor or the
editor?
Then there is the theatre and concert
manager who brusquely enters the neat
but not gaudy quarters of the country
editor and unrolls eleven dollars worth
of press notices of the prima donna of
the concert, or the star actress Of the
theatre company, and throws down n
couple of thirty-fve cent tickets and
condescendingly says:"luh priui these
notices; scatter them arounG ihuura
your paper IN different coiaiars, and
here I'll just compliment yJuahdyaW
wife witl' seats nc tlC eatcuaiumgni
You can have them cscyrd g. W ike
by paying fifteen cent. cstrd st .nr box