The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-17
MEN WHO READ PROOF.
,yrr arr VERY NECESSARY NEWS
PAPER ETlLs.
uow rhey CorrScs Insdveftant B'unders Of
writer's and Conpos tors-M"st Have
sKnowledge of All Subjects.

THE majority ga NNN rf"PN' tN~"'i" nav
60, sepc IDEAS Of the details in the prep
.,.on Of modern daily. As a matter
I, .,,rsc .aH Intelligent readers possess
...., or less correct Information concern
IN. tho duties of the various editors, re-
-,-t,rs spocial writer's, compositors, ster-
...oers prcssmcu, circulating depart
...,, employees. and the business Office
,...c. bui the criticisms indulgcd ia 80
e,,ey by many newspaper readers and
... s.eccstious made. concernig the prop
., conduct policy and makeup OF the
,.s.r prove the truth Of the saying, be-
come almost provcrb Everybody
,,.os better how to run newspaper
,s.a thc editor
chose old familiar friends. Pro Bona
v.bIco. Vcritas. Constant Reader, y. y
Ola subscriber. and the rest yearn to
,..e their "favoritc sheet" do this, that
old Che other. as the mansging editors
.. bears daily eloquent testimony anu
,,.atcs plainly the want Of knowledge
r.ffe writer's OF The multform labor and
,...Bar equipment necessary in the men
,t. prepare and issue newspapers.
modern. up-to-the-timcs daily, Ike
d.. Times. aims and succeeds almost 10
,rall.t degree in giving proper attention
and space 60 the various classitications
of daily happenings reports. and informa-
sion on all manner OF legitimate news and
Great questions OF the day.
Introduction has rather faH fhe
writer away from the subject first
tr84chod namely. the inexact Information
r.ea.-ed by the readers Of newspapers Of
-as uorl, performed i'm getting out daily
rrrer for 10 IS The purpose 20 enlighten
chose who are ont Of the fold of newspa-
rerf1m ON the portion OF the work done in
Il department. about which little is known.
The most carefully edited, carefully
printed newspaper is here ana there occa-
earauv married by typographical or other
against which win. in spite Of the ut
e.r0r-. which are 20 be- constantly guarded
-slust, but which will i'm spite Of the ut
most care. now and then appear. and
unn their discovery I'm the printed sheet
cause "a blush OF shame and a storm OF
complaint the former by the ones respon-
sIhIe FOR the slip. the other. il the error
boz bad. from about everybody in authori-
u 0n the paper.
And vet 10 is about impossible TO get
olt a big daily absolutely free from the
Nem.shes referred 70. Why In the first
raeo The time is limited In which 10 pre-
pare the copy" and put IL IN type, and
this precludes the care more time would
mike possible. Then. again. as the hour
o. going o. press draws near the attention
and care given are Of necessity abridged
and Il sometimes happens portions of the
latest matter must be put into the forms
just as So comes from the compositOrs.
without having the time 10 correct any
errors they may have inadvertently made
W the rush Of those last few moments.
This is known as 'railrOadng' i'm the Of
1ee and any errors then made are. or
should be. eXcusahle and inside the Office
are overlooked. But your hypercritical
reader. in the quiet enjoyment Of his
morning cigar and newspaper after break
1a-t, ON their discovery takes out his pen
oI ana makes a mark at the error and re-
solves % take the paper with him and
sop In 90 see Mr--and show him the
Numbers DO found Zoo the paper. or else
30 draws up to his desk. writes letter
Of complaint and then settles back I'm
l Easy chair with a serene consciousness
OF having performed an act Of great con-
Vm 10 the reading public and experiences
O. feeling Of ecstatic felicity I'm The con-
temptation Of his wonderful perspicacity
n discovering an IN" upside down.
IT. is not the intention 10 here enter a
plea I'm behalf Of the compositor or tvpe-
softer; 90 apologize Tor him or defend him
from me sarcastic use Of the word intelli-
tai as applied to him. He desires NO
ID. HIHF fIa 3.
Us The best equipped man i'm the world TO
ahe care of himself There does not
'NIsI ON the face Of The earth more indie
PENDENT self-assertiVe. self-conndent in
'EllNal Than this same cOmpositor II IL
recognized laW in almost every Office thar
II me composiior has d grievance he has
ih" right 60 'kick' aud continue To
ack' until his grievance IS satisfactorily
adjusted.
Arc Versatile "Kickers."
They must, or necessity. be above the
average in intelligence. and it shows i'm
W" complicated and wonderful diversity
or their kicking proclivities almost as
much as in the excellence of their work-
manship. Lei the hated and much-cussed
lroof-reader mark an error for which
me- composition Is not clearly responsible.
ana there VIII be more or less Of a cy-
'.'ne strike that unhappy proof-rcader
about two minutes aftcrward
the pfooi-rcador occupies the uncnVia-
he position of target for each and every
department and individual ON the paper
DO rs regarded as q necessary evil by the
business Office, he s held responsible for
almost every blundcr hy The editorial
department. ne is charged with Delaying
fhe page 10y nc makc-up men. ne Is given
The
constructed different kinds OF undesirable
expectations 10y the compositors. lf he
marks am error hc is blessed" by the
composltors, if hc fails Ca mark it. he
is called down 10y tho authorities lie is.
in fact, between Che devil and the deem
sea. tic is expected Co possess thc brains
and mental equipment of university
professor. and is called "numbskulr N
Doc lets a break set past him. ID is the
part this unfortunate person is charged
win il eoiuns daily newspaper ready
that will now bc considered.
If viii De presumed that most ncwspa-
rcr readers are fairly we'll informed con-
corning ihc sources from which daily pa
Icrs derive their Information for
publication. how The Associated Press
special ana occasional dispatches and Inc
caumuuica lions are handled by the cit,
ns, and telegraph editors. how the re-
roriai force rs directed and their mat
r prepared; how an this and the mass
special matter is cullcd. edited and
f,ined Bog small army Of men, and
.. at last thc copy Is sent 20 the COM
losing room and portioncd out to the
'd'hine operators % bee "set up" An
dental reference has been met with
% root-shect is taken when an arti-
Hts been put INTO type. which is care
} gone over by "a proof reader, the
marked whcn. upon having
Ie page.
'i must Doe borne iu mind that The orig
I'al manuscript Of the writer for tho
---- L---r In mn.L L-..D. |. ..nA u an.