The morning news., 1889-02-18
TIE VALUE OF IDEAS.
Some Sad Facts Regarding Profes-
sional Eumorists


scene is not more pitiful spectacle than is
Philip H. Welsh making fun for thousands
with a deadly cancer grasping his throat
A year or so since Welsh came from a sur
geon's operating table with forty jokes
ready for publication. He said that tho
an@sthetic set his wits agoing. Since then
he has gone about among his friends, now
better, now worse, but never for an instant
losing the power to coin the jokes that are his
daily bread. For long time he has spoken
indistinctly, talked little and worn u
Elut1er close about the spot
where the cancer was doing its
work. His grave, emotionless face
was a little like that of the protest. nal hum-
orist as one could well imagine. For some
weeks past Welsh has not been seen at his
usual haunts. He is i'll at home but his
Jokes still appear in three or four publica-
tions. The sick man dictates them in in
coherent whispers to his wife.
Welsh is one of dozen men who form
the mainstays of the comic papers published
in Now York, and he is not the only one
with the shadow Of sorrow on his life.
Three years ago a bright young man
came TO this city with wife and baby and
big Newfoundland dog. He was almost
pennlless, and for several days he visited
Que pdNHDIOheI hlLtI dlOtuef Wllu bue nope
of pawning the dog II sounds funny, and
perhaps he laughs when he thinks of it
now, but it was a serious matter then. He
knew something of mechanical drawing, and
had seen human life IN many conditions.
He bethought himself of these two things.
and carried half dozen carica-
lures to the editor Of humorous weekly.
The editor saw at glance that tho pictures
we're admirable in spirit but dofective in
di~aN ha at tap In
them was extremely clever.
I'VE cannot put these pictures into tho
paper" said the editor, but they can be
redrawn by an artist and made suitable for
our purposes. Wen pay you for the ideas
and hereafter shall be glad to have sugges-
tions for either drawings or jokes"
The craftsman went away half in de-
light, half in disappointment. Now he
earns 5000 year by the sale OF ideas.
His pictures are never published as no
draws them, though they obtain delicate
touches that the artists who Improve
them often miss, but his suggestions
whether for drawings or jokes are never
rejected.
Yes, even so intang BILE thing as an
idea has a saleable value in the market Of
comic journalism. Suggestions from what
ever source are received and impartially
judged. From 81 so to $40 is paid for a
mere suggestion that perhaps mas no exist
ence on paper. young man summering
at Bar Harbor was pleased with witticism
of his sweetheart. lie sent it to Lite and
was surprised TO see 1t appear with an ac-
companying cut on the first page. When
all Is said and done, however, IL must be
ACKNOWLEDGED that the mass OF matter pub
lished by comic papers is the work of pro-
fessional humorists. 1t is a mistake, how
ever, to suppose that the artists furnish the
letter press which they illustrate. As a
matter of fact, artists as a rule are not
witty, and sometimes they must be
watched closely lest they miss some delicate
point in the hum which they are en-
ployed to represent pictorially. Probably
no cartoonist originates very large pro
portion of the ideas which he illustrates.
The suggestions come from the editors,
from professional idea peddlers aud occasiou u-
ally from volunteer strangers. Eugene y.
Bisbee, who has just been engaged to run
the funny page of the World and vino has
long been known as a suggester Of car
toons, has illustrated only a small percentage
of his own suggestions.
j. J.. Goodwin, one of the most successful
humorists in New \ ork never draws for
actual publication. He suggests letter press
TO fit pictures, pictures to fit letter press,
and sometimes both letter press and picture,
but trained artist always intervenes be-
tween him and the public. A very con
siderable part Of a humorist's work il sug-
gesting the bits of conversation or what
not that accompany the small pictures in
the comic papers, and very hard work it is.
Editors realize that the pictures are an i'm
portant part Of n humorous publication and
for this reason Clever little sketches sub.
mitted by artists without letter press are
constantly accepted.
These pictures, that may represent any
thing from a single figure TO "a landscape or
4. ~
fessional humorist for comic Interpretation
Goodwin, who is specially apt at this work,
has been known 10 dash off fitting letter
press within five minutes after receiving a
picture. This however, is exceptional, and
the work is usually done by dint Of labori-
GUS occupation. Welsh tells Of being called
uDon to furnish within au hour the letter
press for Il picture that he had never seen
before To make matters worse, the pic
ture was not for regular humorous paper
but was designed TO tighten the columns Of
an insurance paper. The joke was forth
coming, but Welsh spent a sad hour in its
manufacture.
Humorists and the editors Of humorous
papers are seldom like the popular concep-
ton OF such. Welsh, short, dark and sol
emn-eycd, could not have been redolent OF
fun even when in the best physical health.
Bill Nye's mouth is as grim as the door Of a
sepulcher. His perfectly bald head, great
nose, gold trimmed spectacles and over
grown Adams apple are just as they are
pictured in his illustrated articles Frank
White, the editor Of Life, looks like com.
bination Of the amateur atbl TO and the
man about town. Henry Gallup Paine
who pass,s upon the merits Of would be
funny things sent to Plck. is grave well.
dressed young man, who looks as If hs might
pass his days IN Wall street. Taylor, who
draws pretty women for fucI,, is "A tall
gaunt. grizzled man, who could pass un-
challenged 10 a clerical conclaye. VOL.
colt Balestier, the editor of Time, now
abroad, is an idsalist, with serious views Of
life aud a decided literary bent.
j, WILSON JOHNSON.