The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-27
WOMEN AS REPORTERS.
THEY SUCCEED THE GAME
WORTH THE CANDLEf


Craze for Ecclesiastical Embroii-
cries Artists Models The Riding
Costume.
q, New York, April 26.-If ever l write
the confessions of a newspaper woman
shall have to record things pleasant and IN
pleasant, but fear shall not be able to
set down any answer to the question, is the
feminine element doing more good or harm
by its invasion Of the sanctun.
The earlier journalistic efforts of women
were usually on high plane. Not many
women are now called on for such work as
was done by Margaret Fuller on the Trib-
sane. II Grace Greenwood were beginning
again, her articles would probably have to
take less serious tone. The women who
describe Washingtoa's gowns aud engage
ments are perhaps able to write, but they
certainly donOt write Mary Clemmer Ames'
congressional correspondence Even Olive
Logan, who made an honest effort TO get
back tolegitimate criticism of public men
and measures, was often enough forced back
on the cabinet buds and the senator's wives
Women'S occupation Of the newspaper
field is a newer thing across the water than
with US, and whether it be because of this
or in spite of it, or because of the different
tone Of journalism, or the exceptional gift
of the individual, Mrs. Crawford has po-
sition and an influence which We cannot
match in America. Mrs Sullivan's Lon
don letters during the sittings of the Par
nell commission is probably our closest re-
cent parallel.
Women's work in New York newspaper
dom has materially changed within few
years. There is greas deal more of il and
aff SIC
but the exper.e nce of one of the best known
and most successful writers is probably
fair example of that of many more.
Il DO very little newspaper writing now"
she said yesterday, "a am tempted to go
out of il altogether. When the - changed
hands was Informed that art and musical
critics my specialty-was net a line in
which the new proprietors cared TO employ
"A woman, but if would do tea table gossip
and society chatter they would paw DIE
welln
Another newspaper writer and one who
has won legitimate distinction, was amusing
me the other dav with accounts Of how she
''circumwents" her editor
he is firmly convinced" she raid, shat
women care for nothing but beaux aud but
tons. .frivols and frills. | can't introduce
into my Sunday page the things women
really think and talk about. but get there
just the same. never say word about
the higher education of women, but if the
collegiate alumni@ have a messing, then |
report it and it goes as a news item. |
dare not mention women's clubs, but if
there is club lunch, then at once tuck in
under a display head some of the bright
speeches, judiciously interspersed with de-
scriptlons of the table decorations. Oh, he
thinks I'm very suDm issive, but he's cir
cunvented every time the presses roll.
At the big Cooper Union meeting of the
Association of W orking Girls Societies last
week | counted no fewer than eighteen
women reporters, and idly wondered how
many Of them were circumventing their
editors. Schemes for Frightening the lives
of working girls may be of little conse-
Quence abstractly, but when some thou
sands of them hold convention then the
woman reporter, especially if people of
wealth and social importance join hands
with the toilers, sees ner opportunity.
doubt If there is a paper in New York
on which from two to a dozen women are
not "getting in space with more or less
regularity. The number of unattached
writers, out-of-town correspondents, semi
literary aspirants Of every description, in
creases every season, A few women hold
responsible positions calling for the exercise
of their best powers, nearly all probably
give some attention to the art of circumven.
ton, but for the most part ducats drop with
AACAA AhOo0 pACc@o4AS lntO Tue pDQk-
cts OF those who SET up IN business as under
clothes editors, puryeyors of cosmetic Sc
crets, interviewers OF actresses and dill
gent searchers after sensations.
Tie carnival of publicity through which
our society is passing as one phase Of its
evolution is helped on good deal by Che
woman newspaper writer. The bulk of
small talk is written still by men, but there
are certain things which men cannot do. A
man cannot cultivate fashionable dress
makers acquaintance by paying her price
for an occasional visiting gown with a con-
fident reliance on ge; ting back double the
outlay by leading madame TO gossip about
the costumes in preparation for the next
social event in the rich Mr.. So-and-So's
private ball room. A man cannot cultivate
lady's acquaintance at an afternoon
tea and call on her next morning
with a smiling "Please let me see
your engagement book for minute or two
or win you tell me if you are invited to
Mrs. Browns, and do you happen to know
If Mrs. Jones Is going and what Mrs.
Smiths two daughters will wearr | sup
pose man can and does, but l never
CHANGED to see him, pull cut a pad of writ
ing paper at reception and follow two
prominent women about, standing Just
within earshot, while he took for a daily
''peeper" las the newsboys say, not without
accuracy full notes of their private CONVEX
sation- Men can and do so into society on q
professedly social footing, while all the time
on the watch for a piquant incident or
story, but doubt if they do these things as
successfully as women. 1t is the woman's
tact, her nice discrimination, her instinct
which tells her just how far she can go
which brings her services into reuuisition.
while her success Tecreates the demand. In
the struggle for existence she secs a chance
10 do something which falls in with the
temper of the times. She does it, she is
asked to do 1T again, she has made her mar
ket; if she would sell she must supply it. for
it is there that now her wares are in de-
1nand.
If the landlady demands her money and
a woman is weary of washing out her own
kerchiefs il a hand basin, is she going TO
hawk about her unstable ideas in the
future of literature while she remembers
the parting words of the editor. "We'Ll
take / 800 to 1900 words if you can get up
something good in the vein of your last
Sundays article on 'Rich Women who Eat
Olives at Luncheon The extraordinary
woman is going to stick to the literature, the
ordinary one is going to find or invent
women who dote on radishes.
The newspaper writer whose stock in
trade is personalities is not maliciously dis
posed toward her victims. Sometimes she
holds honestly the code, of morality which
Is too generally accepted among newspaper
men that there is little or nothing a news
paper hasn't a right to know, and usually