The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-05-04
NEWSPAPER REPORTERS.
One Who Has Had Experience
Tells Of Their Hardships.

Correspondence of the Winston Sentinel
would just as soon think of
going to merchant in this city and
asking him very cody to make me a
gift of some goods in his store that |
might want, or to lawyer and request
him 10 write me chattle mortgage
gratis, or to a person in any other
vocation and asking his services or
goods or time free, as to go to re-
porter or any one who makes writing
a profession and ask that he expend
his time, energy and brain-power for
my pleasure or benefit, and then not
to give him value received. The
principle is the very same, and the
sooner those who disregard or do not
know this, are educated up to it, the
better it will be-for the reporter any
way. ! can assure you there are very
few people who write for the fun of
the thing, certainly no one with whom
| am acquainted. 1t is purely matter
of business with which they are strug
Cling to earn an honest living. |
happen to be very we'll posted along
this line, SO can make statements from
memory. Writing complimentary,
sometime gorgeous pufts about people
or their calling, whatever it may be,
and which largely enhances that per
sons interests is certainly no profit
to the reporter, unless he is properly
remunerated for his services, and if
you should fail to do that, it is such
very little thing on your part to do,
but nevertheless the proper thing-to
at least thank him for the favor he has
conferred. 1t is a remark SO often
made "that anybody can write" 1t
looks SO easy. The truth is, everyone,
no matter what his occupation may
be, ought to be able to write sensible
and grammatic letters, either to a
newspaper or to a friend, but unfor-
tunately there are those who have no
natural or acquired fitness for writing,
| and who are SO stricken with poverty
of language that, the less they would
have had to say the BETTER He who
thinks writing for the press such an
easy thing let him try it.
1t happens that, of all vocations,
professional or mechanical, this is one
of the most difficult to master. Only
long years of experience, and patient,
unwearying application, backed by a
natural fund of common sense and
sound judgment and taste for the
work can ever make proficient writer.
If there is anything in the world
that onght TO raise one man above
another, as man, it would seem TO be
intellectual power, rather than wealth,
proud ancestry, physical strength OF
fine personal appearance, for GER
tainly it is through great and sore
tribulation that man reaches the
highest intellectual elninence.
But just here l want to say few
words about reporters, particularly,
then I am done. | want to tell those
Of you, who don't know, that theil
life is by no means an easy one.
There could be no greater miscon.
ception of it than a belief that its
duties are light. The reporter has
much hard and irksome labor to do
he must often work beyond the time
at which he sadly needs rest or refresh
ment ; he must do mental work re,
quiring careful attention in noisy
assenblages, often through the hong
hours Of the night, and nearly always
so hurried and pressed for every
minute of his time that it is not
strange If the brain is thrown into a
state of confusion that wastes it toe
rapidly away. Oh, you dear brethern
who sit back and abuse editors in
general and reporters in particular,
for PHYS sake forbear, and out of the
sweet charity of your heart, do some
times say, 81 thank you for serving
me SO WE'LL" f.