Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-08
NOTED MEN.
Striking characteristics and the NewSpa
per Lottery Writers.
How the Newspapers Make Fame For Con-
Observation-Disclosures From Obscurity
Into NOtoriety.
Washington Evening Star, FEB. 6.

past two years names have become ia
miliar to nearly every man, woman and
child throughout the land that before
were unknown outside of the district in
which the bearers of the names live. A
man may be in congress several terms
and remain in obscurity; then he may
sudd emily burst out as a new light. Or a
new member may become famed at once.
1t does not argue that a man is not able
because he is unknown, nor, on the con-
trary, does it follow that he is great for
being noted. Some very able men in
congress, in the house particularly, are
known scarcely at all to the country at
large Some Of them have served more
than one term and are known in the halls
OF legislation for their true worth, but
their names seldom appear in the news
papers-consequentl they are without
fame.
man IS name may be in the Record
every day; he may make speeches all
over the country; he may have his name
written in red letters on the board fences
by the wayside-still ne Will be unknown
in the sense that a statesman must be
known unless the newspapers take him
up As soon as a man S name is taken
up by the papers and he is frequently
written about, his fame begins. The
only effective way for him to advertise is
in the newspapers. Public men are
aware of this, and as rule it is their
ambition to appear in print as often as
possible. Most of them would prefer
being abused to not being mentioned at
all. If they can be attacked and de-
Tended and get up a controversy concern
= 1o1.1v~a e If a1FrEa 70
their fame. 1t is marvellous how some
men of no especial mark-nOt especially
shrewd in other matters-cultivate this
sort of notoriety until it becomes fame.
There are some men in public life who
are essentially advertisers. They do
little else than cultivate publicity and in
that way contrive to be better known
than men who are the ablest legislative
workers.
ESSENTIALS TO NOTORIETY.
A man in entering congressional life is
fortunate if he possesses some striking
characteristic or popularity. If he looks
like some great man of far fame; If he
has q "'classic facet if he has an in
ordinarily loud voice, or is extravagantly
tall or has large mouth, it gives him an
advantage over his colleagues. If he has
an extraordinarily large nose, fiery-red
hair, or possesses fertile vocabulary of
startling inYectiYes which he is not timid
about using, his fortune is assured from
the start. Anything that makes the states
man interesting TO the paragrapher
hastens him on the road to fame Occa-
sionally n man becomes notorious through
no effort, fault or merit of his own, but
merely because, in the absence of some
thing more interesting to write about, he
Is selected hap-haZzard ont OF the whole
pit 1ull of men as n suitable object
about which to weave funny
or interesting stories. 1t is to
the letter-writerS chiefly that
such a man is indebted for his fame He
is surrounded at once with an atmosphere
of interest and individuality which is a
marvel to himself. He is made to say
witty things ana TO tell bright stories that
it was never in his head to create, and
sometimes ne is actually trained by this to
appear like the model that is set up for
him. Sometimes he has fashioned for
him giant S robe' which hangs too
loose upon him. In that case it is his
head that develops, and the giant hat,
if not the robe, would fit him. This sort
Of fame or notoriety is of much more
rapid growth than that which is based on
firmer qualities 1t does not follow
to n red head or the inordinate proIonga-
ton of his sentences for fame, that he
possesses no more worthy qualities. Some
times a man is unfortunate in becoming
known through some trivial popularity,
when he has true worth that entities him
TO more lasting renown.
INSTANCES.
"Sun Set'' Cox has become so well |
known for his sparkling wit and enter
tanning humOr that it is often forgotten |
that he possesses the rarer qualities of a
statesman. One Of the greatest trials of |
his life is the difficulty he has in con- |
vncing the public that he is ever deeply |
in earnest.
Tom Ochiltree has a worldwide repu-
tation as a wit, wag and a stOry-t teller. |
He is indebted-or at least was in the |
frs: instance-tO the wit of newspaper
writers, who found it more in keeping |
with their impersOnal character to put |
bright things into his mouth than to say |
them themselves. This and the fact |
that he is 2 very comical-lOOking man
with clustering manner and a fiery-red |
head have fixed his standing as a wit. He
started out as n butt. He improved his
and has tried to swell him.
self to lit his reputation, which was a few
sizes too large for HIM.
Holman of Indiana first became famed
as an objector in the house. Since he has
ceased to occupy this position he attracts
less public attention, though he is as ac-
tive as ever in performing his duty in the
house. Several men have emulated his
fame Beach of New York NOW no
more) was his first successor. He sur
passed the master. Others have taken
their turn ut it since, and all got more
or less nOtoriety out of it.
REAGAN'S FAME.
Reagan of Texas, after long public
service, became famed, not because he
left the United States congress to take
part in the organization of the Confedera-
cy, was the postmaster general and sec
rotary of the treasury of the Confederacy.
and then again entered the United States
because he was a unique his
toTical figure, but because he has a curl
ous habit of tearingUp bits of paper and
them on the floor while he is
listening or thinking, and because of n
story told OF his being caught in the bath
when he wanted TO vote on the Morrison
tariff bill. The name of Reagan awakes,
lOt recOliectiOnS of the great historical