San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-21

pltation, one dollar, and in return Is
expected to spread himself in the pa
per, for the indi Vidual benefit of the
host, over as much space as would
cost a merchant $40. and if only a
passing notice is given, they will
blackguard not only the reporter but
the paper. Some of these requests
| come from persons who will not no
| tice a reporter at other times, and
who are not supporters of the paper in
any way. If a notice appears they
| will borrow neighbours paper TO see
| it, and if the notice tickles their
vanity they may buy a few copies to
send to their friends out of the city to
show what big people they are. Big
Why, if their real size was measured
by their generosity, it would take a
microscope to see them.
There is yet another and worse
class of men, small it is true, but
they still exist, who want to use the
reporter as "ca-spaw," but the
shrewd reporter guesses their little
game and they invariably get left.
These take reporter aside, tell him
long rigamarOle of so-andso's Of
| fetal or private misconduct and
want him to publish it in his paper.
| The reporter listens and generally
says: "Well if that's true, it ought
to be published, just write down the
statement and sign it, and it will be
alright" Then these men draw
back, they don't want their names
mixed up in the affair they say, but
the fact is, these men are malicious
enemies of the party they name, and
to the public. They want the re-
porter to publish their maliciously
false statements, lay his paper open
to libel suit, and himself to per
sonal encounter, while they stand
back with impunity and laugh at
their own wickednesss and the folly
Of a reporter VINO may be duped that
way.
As a rule, most ladies and gentle
men like to see their names in the
paper, although some profess that
they do not, and yet in "a few cases
requests are made to omit names.
There is nearly always some peculiar
reason for this Mrs. SO-and-sO, at
tending a ball, doesn't want her
name published because its Lent, and
she don't want the parsOn and good
church people to know it, bat sh Q
enjoys it all the same. The Misses
This-and-That at ball are in mourn
ing and dance but they don't want
the world to know it. At the same
time it is evident their pleasure
exceeds their sorrow. Mr.. Wildman
who is married, but is seen at sport
ing houses, and when at home
he is supposed to be hard at
work, and Mr.. Tom Suck thumb, a
dude wine frequents the same resorts,
don't want anything said about their
doings and are mad if its even limited
at. On the other hand others are TOO
persistent in their efforts for publicity.
They want their every movement
chrOnicied and kick like a brOnchO if
their names are misspelled, let alone,
omitted. Doctors will take reporters
aside and seriously talk of simple
everyday operation as something
marvellous, and if it is published they
are delighted, except when the medi-
cal association gets after them. Then
they profess to wODder how the
reporter caught on" and if the re-
porter should tell who gave the in
formation they would say HE was a
liar " The tricks too to gain free ad-
vertiSing, that manly men pay for, are
numerous and nauseating as they are
in vain, for If the reporter don't
"catch on" the manager does, and
the free advertisement eventually
sleeps peacefully in the waste-paper
basket.
There are men who get mad at little
things that others would accept as a
compliment, and those act foOlishly
who are violent or abusive. Report
ers always act in good faith, or their
employers would discharge them. but
they are men, liable to error, and de-
ception. If any are offended let them
90 to the newspaper Office in civil
manner and they will not only be re-
ceived as gentlemen, but the wrong
complained of will be readily righted.
Every dark cloud has its silver
lining and the reporters dark side of
humanity has its sunshine. There
are many ladies and gentlemen in
the city who always welcome a re-
porter, treat him kindly, have pleas
ant cheerful word for him, and who
aid him by giving honestly and &C
curateIy all the news they can. These
generally support the paper literally
and III other ways. III giving news
they are actuated by no improper
motives, they know that by so doing
they are not only helping the report
er and the paper, but they are inter-
esting the many thousands of the fell
low citizens who read and enjoy the
DAILY LIGHT. To these latter friends
the staff and proprietors tender their
grateful acknowledgements for the
favOrs received.