Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-05-17
"A REPORTERS STORY"
How George Stanton Mado a Dis
oovery In Newspaper Work.

A1oW 0eOrBo STANTON MaQO q Dis
oovery In Newspaper Work.
Write for the Timesl Do you mag
Inc you went to college for thatP You
can't write"
"Have you ever given me the chance?"
mo. But / know you couldn't.
daresay you've been counting on doing
this, ch?" The younger man bowed
"And have been laying in stock of
flowing rhetoric and flne-spun tho
cries" the elder continued. "Humph!
The Times wouldn't pay in months
time II we fed the public on stuff of
that sort. What 1t wants is food of an
other kind"
whats to prevent my providing it
as we'll as the other writer's on the
staffP Is my college education to be q
drawback to me? If it is"
The sentence was left unfinished,
and the elder man silently returned to
his work Of glancing over some copy
spread out on the desk before him.
When he had finished the last page, he
turned to the first and wrote I'm. g."
across the top.
"What does that mean?" George
Stanton inquired.
"Those letters stand for must co."
Then whatever bears them goes?'
His uncle surveyed him with grim
smile lighting his face.
'It's apt to-" he said, dryly.
Then anything might write would
be printed, regardless of it's merit, if
you so marked it?"
Certainly. But you must rcmem-
Der that an uncle indulgent to faults,
and the proprietor of this paper-a sue
cessful business enterprise-are two
distinct personalities"
(which you bear, understand. But
surely literary merit cuts some fgure?"
"Um-if the name of the writer who
possesses it is we'll known, it does"
Not otherwise?"
The elder man shook his head en-
phatically. 1--WE no use for EN-"
"Why that makes out the newspaper
of to-day money-making machine of
the lowest order" George Stanton ex-
claimed, Indignantly. 1.-THE brains of
the concern are subservient to the
business office"
Exactly"
There was pause, during which the
younger man tipped back his chair
against the wall and gazed distracted
ly at the ceiling. At length he brought
the legs of the chair to the floor with
emphasis.
II still maintain that 1t isn't fair
that l shouldn't be given trial." he
remarked.
II suppose you've got a batch of
manuscripts all ready to fire at me. ="
The nephew's face flushed II thought
90. Well, don't want 'em. Now see
here, what this paper wants isn't
rhetoric, it isn't eloquence, it isn't
philosophy, it isn't literary merit, as
you call tits just life-plain, every
day life. ! wouldn't publish the most
beautiful fight of fancy that was ever
written-rve no use for that sort. But
life--things near local, personal-give
me those. If you keep your eyes and
ears open, you'll find more tragedy in
one block of San Francisco than in the
whole of Shakespeare"
"Then you give me the chanceP"
Frederick Stanton hesitated. "It's
open to you the same as 1t is to all"
he replied, indifferently; you would
be paid for space-work at our regular
rates, providing we accepted it. Mind
you, don't say I'll take what you
write"
"But If it suits, you'll m. g. it?"
IF it suits" the other repeated, q
little sarcastically, with movement
which closed the interview.
A week later the young man again
presented himself in his uncle's private
office.
"Ive followed your advice, Uncle
Fred, and taken life for my subject"
He threw himself into chair and gave
twist to his head in the direction of
the inndr door. 1t was slightly ajar,
and he rose and shut it before he re-
sumed. "You see, what you said about
the tragedies of life-and, of course, !
inferred that you meant the comedies
as ll-being right under our noses,
as It were, set me to thinking. Mean
time, have found out the true mean
ing OF your mystic letters. Whatever
bears them must 90 in the columns of
the next issue, regardless of time,
space or other consideration. They are
SO potent as to require no explanation,
no suggestions from the molders of pub
lie opinion who preside in the editorial
den. Whatever an editor may receive
from a proprietor initiated IN. g. viii
be printed, even II 1t be the death-war-
rant of the entire staff"
SIS this lecture on the depravity of
the press in general, or my own paper
in particular"
Neither 1t is to let you know that
] have been further enlightened since
we last discussed this subject / now
understand what exists as q mighty
factor In the management OF news
paper, and want you to put II on the
top of that" He tossed some sheets of
closely written paper on the desk in
front of the other.
"Humphl"
III listen may gather the very
material he wants. said listened.
ra.i--t a.kt.- r,vea1f that Tiua frot