The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-09-29
Writers Who Are Readsble..

sides to be told that the most entertain
ing volume of essays published this year
IL collection of articles written by
newspaper men. The essays were orig
inally published in Lippinoott's Maya
zine and have been collected and issued
in book form. They treat of journalist
10 topics and experiences and are writ
ten by distinguished men of the profess
sion in various parts of the country.
The book is entitled "The Making Of
Newspaper"
The feature that especially strikes the
mind of one accustomed to getting at
the contents of a book in hurry is brief
ly this-the readableness of journalistic
writing. If doctors, lawyers, preachers,
economic reformers and scientific men
would serve an apprenticeship in 1.-Two
newspaper Office before they ever penned
line for publication and be blue pen
ciled by first class editor until they
learned to write, what gain to the
worlds time and eyesight it would bel
The book is edited by Melville Phillips
of che Philadelphia Press. Mr.. Phillips
contributes two of the sketches. Other
writers are such newspaper men as
Murat Halstead, John A. CockeriH, NJ.
81. dc Young. John Russell Young and
A. X. Mcclure. Mr.. Phillips informs
us incidentally that more than 1000, 00O,-
600 newspapers annually get into the
homes of people in the United States and
Canada. His story, "Getting Out the
Paper, will give the public an idea of
the awful nerve and brain strain re-
quired from day to day to lay before tue
reader each "a hours the news up to
date. News 10 hours old is in newspa-
per slang ancient history" Of the
night editor of the great morning jour
nal Mr.. Phillips says this: Ellis official
life, of necessity brief, is lived at fever
heat" 1t is brief because no man can
endure for long the wear and tear Of it.
Colonel A. K. Mcclure of the Phila-
delphia Press began his editorial career
in the country at time when subscrib-
ers paid for their paper in wood, pota-
toes, turnips and cabbages." He rises
in the estimation when he tells us he has
been the hero of 30 libel suits. Mr.. Ju-
Illus Chambers of the New York Recorder
says that theoretically the afternoon
paper is the American journal of the
future"
Mr.. j. B. Mccormick ("Macon') writes
from the standpoint of the sporting
editor. He does not approve of reporters
Of races betting on the contending an
imals-four legged or two legged. With
the best intentions it will be hard for
them to give fair report. mo man
can chew meal and whistle at the same
time" says Mccormick in emphasizing
the necessity the racing reporter is I'M
der to give undivided attention to his
business. The proverb is true, of other
things than reporting horse races. In
strikingly picturesque English, George
Alfred Townsend relates the story of
one of his hairbreadth escapes in recon-
struction times.
At the time Murat Halstead became
connected with journalism the Cincin-
natl newspapers spent 81 week each
for Geographic dispatches and consid-
cred themselves the victims of a grind
ing monopoly at that. The fourth page
of each paper contained six times out of
ten bear story upon its first column.
Mr.. Halstead considers the suppression
of this story as one of the mistakes of his
Journalistic career, for, he says, "about
the bear story there hangs an eternal
charm" He recalls, too, how indignant
Henry Clay became at the impertinence
Of a young reporter, now known the
country over as Deacon Richard Smith,
who dared to listen to one of Clays
stump speeches and report it offhaRd,
and not only that, but to send it away
by telegraph without asking Clay's per-
mission. Times change.
John A. Cockerills idea is that per-
hupo III bllllO iloU Lar Oll OIl6 RTtdu
morning newspaper may be printed in
New York and hurled through pneu-
matte tubes to Boston, Buffalo, Balti-
more and other places complete in its
news, editorial and feature pages. The
local name can be printed at the top and
the local features added at the city of its
destination, and thus one mammoth pa
per, the same in all but name and local
news, be issued from all the Offices at
once.
Finally, Julius Chambers says of jour
nalism as profession that it is the most
promising of all means of livelihood in
youth and the least satisfactory and re-
munerative in the long run.