Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Mr. Francis 4. Leupp's Interesting Lecture OF
the Inside Workings of Journalism.

MI Francis X. Leupp's Interesting Lecture on
the Inside Workings of journalism.
Mr.. Frsncis E. Leupp, the Washington cor
respondent Of the New York Evening Post, re-
peated, by request, before the Potomac Literary
Club on Tuesday evening the lecture recently
delivered in the newspaper course at the Y. NJ.
C. A. building, entitled Behind the Scenes in
Journalism" He kept the audience amused
for an hour with series of personal and other
experiences, showing how q newspaper Of our
day is made up. He described the special func-
lions of every member of the staff and illus
trsted his points with anecdotes drawn from
real life. For a representative paper Of CEN
fury ago he chose q copy of the Washington
Gazette, published here in 1886. This he con-
trasted with journal of the most modern equip
ment, showing how the one man. or man
old days, filed all the requirements Of their
simple duty, but how absolutely powerless they
would be to grapple with the sort of news
which comes to a live paper today. and with
the treatment of 1t which the public have been
educated to demand. For the purpose Of max
intelligence was carried through all its success
sive stages, from the occurrence of the event
described to its appearance in type, with an
cut, by headlines and all the custo-
mary appendages, in an extra edition Of a
newspaper published on the same DAY at the
uttermost western extreme of this country.
Then the various functions of the upstairs"
staff Of . newspaper Of the day were pictured,
beginning with the reporter on his entrance
upon the profession, and showing how he ad-
vances, step by step, along the line of knowl-
edge Of what to do and how to do it. The
work Of q special correspondent of a great
daily in a distant city was next sketched in
outline, and few amusing stories were told to
show how the unexpected often happens and
what n ticklish thing it is for a correspondent
to attempt tricks or to give promises OF silence
till he has some vague idea at least what secrets
are to be intrusted to him.
The editor with his passion for carrying his
discussions Of public questions into personal
vituperation Of the hated rival who differs with
his views was lightly touched upon, and q
scathing editorial vOlley of abuse. clipped from
a Missouri paper because of its truly warlike
ring was quoted at length. So we're some speci-
men headlines, exhibiting the several styles
adopted by various papers for various topics.
The next functionaries whose work was re-
ers, with samples Of the things they
set out to do and Of the horrible fate
that sometimes overtakes their efforts.
The exposition OF professional secrets
included a story Of the speakers first and
last adventure as q lobbyist, showing how he
was favored by fate SO rs to be an agent of
justice instead of an involuntary abettor OF
wrong. After hasty glance at the financial
balance sheets OF a modern newspaper and a
humorous contrast between these and the rec
ord of experiences penned by a country editor
in Texas, Mr.. Leupp concluded by reciting a
comical. semi-dramatlc skit illustrating the
sense In which each member of q newspaper
staff feels that upon him alone rests all the re-
sponsibility and all the credit for what the
1r1hn