The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-02-02
A FAMOUS BEAT"


The mystery of mysteries in the
newspaper world for years has been
how the Herald scored it's great beat"
in 1887 by printing the Presidents mes
sage in full on the morning of the1day
it was sent to the Senate. True, other
papers had brief extracts from the mes
sage in their second editions, but a
c~ensorious public credited them with
stealing the matter from their con
temporary.
Some managing editors ar born with
a nose for news" others achieve
beats buf l doubt if many men in
that position can boast Of having a
great news feature literally thrust
upon them. The secret has been limited
at but never told by the chief partici-
pants. Perhaps there is a moral in it
for every managing editor, as well as
for every reader of a newspaper.
1t was at the end of a very dull night.
Great events generally occur on dull
nights. The Associated Press had re-
ceived information that the Herald
had surreptitiOusly obtained a com
plete copy of President Cleveland's
message and intended to print it in
full in the morning. AZ the Associated
Press was the custodian of the message,
which was to have been sent on the
following day to every afternoon Gus
toner, this announcement naturally
filled it's local manager in New York
with CONSERVATION. Where that rumor
came from, and how it reached the
Associated Press, is still a mystery.
AS the Associated Press" was the
accredited custodian of the message, it
would never do to permit it's premature
publication, if it could be prevented.
Bad faith would surely be charged.
1t must be suppressed at once. The
night manager of that news agency
took his hat and rushed across the
street. A pneumatic tube connects all
the offices belonging to the Association,
but the gentleman preferred to go in
person. He decended by the elevator
in the Western Union building, and
was soon climbing the iron stairs in
the Herald office. A moment later,
out Of breath he had demanded an
audience with the editor in charge.
This is about what occurred.
q understand that the Herald has
obtained the Presidents message in
some underhand way, md intends
publishing it tomorrow before it has
been delivered to Congress"
'Indeed!'
"Now, you must not do this. The
Herald is a member of the Associated
Press, and the honor of the Association
is pledged not to circulate this message
until to morrow afternoon"
"Well, really" said the diplomatic
editor, who was intensely mystifed
and inclined to await developments,
what you may or may not do is of
very little consequence to the Herald,
and [ can assure you will not Influence
it in the least.
But I have it from the very best
authority that you already have the
message in this Office and are acting
it up"
Suppose we have the message; what
thenf" and the editor excused himself,
and went out, ostonsibily to consult
with some one, but in reality to catch
his breath and consider the situation,
for, a. may be imagined, somebody
had been imposing on the Associated
Press agent. The Herald did not have
and not expect to have the message
ahead of it's circulation by the AsSocia
ton. After a few turns in the HeToLd's
big library-room, the editor decided on
line of policy. He returned to the
press agent and informed him that the