Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-04-03
ON OUR lNTERvlEWERs.
Extracts From Max ORelps Book OH Hi
American Impressions.

~. zit E.1fF& .E
Extracts From Max O'Relps Book o., HI
American Impressions.
Journalism has killed literature
and reporting is killing journalism,
1t is the last gasp of the dying litera'
ture of an epoch; it is the man of let.
ters replaced by the concierge Sc
exclaims NJ. Albert Millaud, in one OF
his witty articles in the Figaro.
In America, reporting has simply
overrun, swallowed up journalism. II
is demolition of the wall of private
life, the substitution of gossip for
chronicle, of chatter for criticism.
For the interviewer nothing is
sacred. Audacity is his stock in trade:
the most private details of our daily
life are at his mercy, and unless you
blow his brains out-which is not law
full in New York State-you; have NJ
means of getting rid of him.
Do not believe that you have got
over the difficulty by telling him that
you are not at home. He will return
to the charge ten, twenty times; he
will stand sentinel at your door. SLEEP
on the mat outside your hotel bed.
room, so as to pounce upon you as soon
as you show your face in the morning.
He is patient, and if any indisposition
should oblige you to keep your room,
he will wait till you are we'll again,
and will have his meals brought tc
him in the corridor. Should you sue
coed in escaping the hunter, rather
than to return to the newspaper office
empty-handed he will find your wife
and ask her if you snore, whether you
are an early riser, whether you IRE
more amiable after dinner or before,
what you eat at breakfast, what is
your favorite color in trousers, anC
what size boots you take. He viii
ask her when you were married, how
long your honeymoon lasted, if you
have children, and whether they have
cut their teeth. With these materials
he will make column.
There is no question too indiscree,
for these enterprising inquisitors; they
would have interviewed St. Anthony il
his hut.
DO not shout victory, either, be-
cause you have succeeded in getting
rid of the interviewer without replying
to his questions. 1t is in such case
that the American journalist reveals
himself in all his glory. To you
stupefaction, the newspapers next da,
will have an account of the converse
ton which you might have had wit
! their reporters.
If my advice be worth giving, tn
best thing you can do when the inter
viewer presents himself and says, "
am a reporter, sir, and have come t
ask you for a few moments chat" is
= say to him:
;. "Glad to see you sir; pray b
seated"
After all, interviewing is an opera
ton that one survives, and, to be just
I must say that American reporters
= general are very courteous, obligin&
;, and-which is simply astounding whe
one considers that they rarely tax
notes-accurate in their accounts (
interviews.
The courage, too, with which the il
e terviewer braves rebuffs, and til
philosophy with which he pocket
abuse, are nothing short of admi
= able. For my part, I never could fir
. cross word to say to these intruder
y and had my reward in reading in tn
y papers that it was a pleasure to int
view me, because I submitted to tt
y operation with such good grace.