The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-07
CATHOLICITY OF A REPORTER.
His Place in Life as Described by One Whose
Hair Has Become Gray in Newspaper Service.

It's a rare thing to see the funeral of a
full grown man nowadays that Is unat-
tended with at least one brass band and a
secret organization or society of some kind,
on foot or in carriages. OF all men, the
newspaper reporter is least addicted TO Sc
cret societies and philanthropic or other
organizations and associations OF men. As
a ~news-gatherer he is brought near to all
such things, but he is compelled by the
exigencies of his calling to keep himself
aloof from membership or becoming unduly
interested in any one society or movement,
each and every one of which is considered
by its enthusiastic adherents to be the only
thing worthy the attention of men. Were
he to begin joining these various societies
with his well-founded notions Of fair play
for ali schemes, he would soon have
more decorations than Bismarck, and
in order to display the emblems.
Now and then an enthusiastic evangelist
takes a grip on the miserable reporter who
has been detailed to give to the public a
glowing account of his work, and the evln-
gelist attempts to take him into the fold.
1t is q well-meant endeavor. but usually
fails. In religious matters especially the
reporter must be all things TO all men, and
must be catholic to the fullest extent and
meaning of the word. None of the local
clergy ever seek to impair his usefulness by
PROSECUTING him to any one particular brand
of faith. He is, as st. Paul recommends.
''all things to all men," He is on good
terms with the clergy of all the Protestant
churches, OF a friendly footing with the
Catholic clergy, priests and bishop, as he
is also with the learned rabbi of the temple
and the children of Jacob. No religious
freak of any kind but receives his earnest
and prayerful attention If there is any Dews
in it, and even the Mormon with eleven
wives is accorded q hearing of his cause.
Il have attended a rattling chlcken,flght
on a Sunday morning" remarked an old re-
porter. th0ughtfully. 'an amateur glove
contest in the afternoon, and reported a
Presbyterian sermon. of the most CALVIN,
istic variety, at night. and did fairly we'll
by each of them. When it comes To reforms,
i nave seen over a hundred different brands.
each and every one being thought by the
enthusiasts who had them in hand to be the
only original Jacob Townsend remedy to
alleviate all the ills of suffering humanity.
/ have seen q score or more of these reforms
die sudden, but not untimely deaths, and
would have wept bitter tears for their loss
but that L knew other enthusiastic gentle
men. with other m~uch-needed reforms.
would take their places to bud, blossom and
die without leaving the least fragrance to
remind people of their existence. The
reporter is somewhat like Mr.. Wem-
mick, the clerk of lawyer Jaggers., In
Great Expectations and occasionally has
little souvenirs that remind him of noted
citizens with whom he had brief, but. to
some extent, confidential relations, now
severed forever, some of these acquaint-
ances having been sent to the States prison
for a long term or for life, while others
were disposed of by the county sheriff in O
more ummary way
Among the noted people / have met in
v.lfoa.nD1sc - no-,oI A. -o-N<o, Get
may mention Denis Kearney, the San
Francisco drayman, the san lot a~gitatOr
whose name once filled the trump of fame
to the exclusion of the names of many who
have since become great. Kearney was
here in the summer of 1877 OF 1878. and had
the pleasure one warm Sunday of marching
in a procession at the head of which tloated
a red flag with the great Kearney on one
side of me and the private secretary of his
greatness on the other, while they filled me
done, were doing and were yet to do for the
tOiling millions. In those days Kearney had
stopped toiling, while the millions were
working along just the same. The private
bellished with beautiful amber colored
ties of tobacco "''a and spat with
the indirection of a s~prinkling pot. l re,
membe the great reform on that eventful
Sunday consisted in the sale of twenty
four kegs of beer at the grounds where
kearney spoke.
among prize-fghters / have enjoyed the
personal acquaintance of Sullivan, Kill
| ram, the Irish Giant, Dick Hollywood and
doOr-keepers of the Indiana State Senate of
1887. Greatness in any line is not apt to
be very o~verpowering to the newspaper re-
porter. He sees the greatest men in all
lines and conscientiously records their eff
forts without bias in their favor OF preju-
dice against tlem.O