The Portland daily press., 1892-04-16
Beats" of the Washington Correspon
dent.
(Harper's Weekly.)

lt1dEpoT'S We6hly.J
A prolific source of fame to Washing
ton correspondent is the cheat" The
''beat'' may be obtained in variety of
ways. The most important 'beats'' to
the average editors mind are usually Of
the least consequence. The correspon-
dent who keeps himself familiar with
large questions and with leading men is
able to anticipate the happening of i'm
portant events; but the striking glory,
that which brings forth the practical
commendation of increased salaries OF
golden gifts is the securing of news that
has been concealed, the unearthing of
scandals of which no one knows, the OBJ
tanning of papers that are supposed to
be confidential, the pulling forth of Sc
crets of life and craftsmanship into the
light of publicity.
Some of the methods by which the
glittering ''beats'' of the profession have
been obtained are very Interesting.
There is remembered the man who
picked the sermon from the pocket of
the preacher while he was Offering the
opening prayer, putting it at once on the
wire, so that the newspaper readers were
satisfied, but the congregation was disap-
pointed. Correspondents have done a
good many things that are not much
nicer than this; in other words, they
have been quick to respond to the de-
mands of the home office.
There was only one correspondent in
fo hn of
Grant, and he was asked as an intimate
friend of the family. He did not 60, but
in some way his card got into the pos
session of an active, shrewd and ambi-
tlouS young man. who went to the re-
ception, to the astonishment of the Presi-
dents family, and described it most ac-
curateiy for his newspaper. His list of
the presents was feat Of memory, and
he has since said that he visited the room
where they were displayed so frequently
that he finally excited the suspicious Of
the policeman, who evidently regarded
him as one who was bent ON thievery
1t has never been definitely known how
the Tribune correspondents obtained
their advance copy of the Washington
treaty under which the Alabama Claims
Commission was established, but two of
them, H. j. Ramsdell and Z. L, White,
suffered luxurious imprisonment for it
in one of the Senate committee rooms
1t is supposed that one of the underlings
of Senator Oliver P. Morton gave away
the copy of the treaty.
The subordinates of the Senate and of
the Executive departments, however are
not the people who always or generally
give away treaties or other diplomatic
and State secrets. The modification of
the Chinese treaty, recognizing our ex-
clusion laws, was negotiated by COM
mission, of which Mr.. Trescott, of South
Carolina, was member. The labors of
the commission were known to be COM
pleted, but, so far as the public and the
eager correspondents knew, the new
treaty had not been sent to the Senate
for ratification. One day correspond
ent was walking through the Senate
Chamber and passed Mr.. Eyarts, then
Secretary of State, who was talking with
Senator Wade Hampton. Mr.. Evarts
held ont his hand in greeting to the cor
| respondent, who was thus detained long
enough to overhear the Secretary say to
! the Senator.
''Mr. Trescott has certainly not disap-
pointed u.s..
Instantly the mind of a newspaper man
| responded to the involuntary suggestion,