Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-24
WE HAVE TROUBLES.
IN FAVOR ON ANNEXATION.
Towns, Cities. and People shou,d Ne
ssh3ctned--Experienccs Of a Judge
and q wei,-Known Cts,scn-s.me
Pertinent Reflections. -

pipe. expose my Gulf-of. Mexico-appear
ns Uranium. and make my salutatory
DOW TO the world and the Dispatch read
sr~ Months. aye, many months (even
years.. have elapsed sinceNShe productions
bf my facile 90 pen thrilled the civilized
and. Since my retirement, into Journal
htic obscurity my genial friend the Idle
Reporter. has achieved fame whose
,nly bounds appear to be the oceans and
the stars. do not envy him his repu,a-
uon. though. Far from ~ No man
would be DESTROYS OF the distinction II
no had the faintest idea OF its cost 1
once made an estimate OF the cost OF popu-
iarity and eminence In the newspaper
profession 1t was sii.s5 more a week
than made. 1t has been said by some
one that merit will tell. This Is quite
true. but the philosopher who uttered the
adage should have added and so will
money" for have we not often been told
In our hours Of discontinue that money
talks? Yes, money talks-of course.
DO not mean for one moment TO rid the
dear women OF their characteristic pecu-
liarity-they talk also. But money tells
sweet and comforting narrative when
IL shines and jingles within fellows
pockets, and when IL is conspicuous by
Its absence IL reproduces to ones mind
the sorrowful and pathetic story OF Rip
Van Wrinkle, and suggests that a mans
dog IL truly his best friend. Gold, whether
II be one TO sixteen or one to thousand,
carries honest conviction with II. and Is
the dominant factor In all elements or
civilization-social, political, commercial,
industrial, and journalistic.
But tits not to this vulgar influence that
my sombre-looklng colleague owes his
success His articles about the celebraS
ton OF George Washingtons birthdays
by the squirrels OF the Capitol Square
have put to the blush the most poetic
and beautiful OF word painters. HIS re-
views of Minors Elementary Institutes
have furnished evenings Of rarest interest
TO the bench and bar os his chosen pro-
fession. His sympathetic euiogies over
John Davis and Jim Scott because
of their imminent danger OF execution
are said 10 have brought tears TO the
eyes and balm TO the "sols' OF these
CANNES. A news-gatherers popularity Is
an expensive thing. What IL does not
cost in money II costs in annoyance.
EveryL dy who knows absolutely nothing
about Journalism fancies II is vocation
OF charms and fascinations. into when
once gotten one never gets out. Thls Is
largely true, for after once entering the
broad and beautiful field all the avenues
OF escape seem to close, and one Is hxed
there forever. for he is seldom able to
get out. ] have often wondered what re-
perters will do when they get 10 Heaven.
IL has occurred TO me that It would
be rather an amusing thing to have
seventy-five or hundred impetuOus
scribes huddled around Gabriel. pouring
out questions as 10 the exact hour and
sccond upon which that dignity will blow
the blast from his bugie which will knock
all mother earth from her shining
course and cause her TO crack and crum
bic into nothingness. Then fancy
what a characteristic picture II would
be 10 see group OF news-gatherers
around ST. Peter at the gates getting
from the immortal sentinel bits Of con-
versation he may have had with such
men Of state as have passed within. Such
a scramble for the distinction Of being
first TO get the news, Then. too. there
may be many untold features of Johns
fishing expedition. and. seriously, it is
doubted that half Of Jonahs experience
with the whale has been told.
But there a reporter will have good
sidewalks and fair weather. Here his lot
IS al unhappy one at times. because OF
the tariff on macintosh coats and the
failure OF the weather prophets In Wash
ington to predict better weather. ] can
remember one drcary night when | was
called up over the telephone and re-
Quested just TO step down 10 Mr.. Us
house. distance of fourteen blocks for
IN item of Importance With fevered
haste 1 terked on my coat and hat and
ran the entire distance. OF course |
thought II was a murder or suicide.
But. 10, to my amazement, the gentle
man who had called me had neither been
taI l.. -
breath. When / found him he was
anxiously rubbing his hands together.
lie was not long in telling me the object
Of my call. IL was that there had been a
candy-pulling I'm the neighborhood and
his 1i-year-old daughter had taken first
prize as a candy -puller. ] forced smile.
took the item, and departed: but In my
mind imagined what an expert l would
have been as "neck-puller IL the victor
OF that entertainment had been within
my grasp.
There are also many OF those greedy
persons who wish forty lines each OF
free advertising. They will put on
condescending air, tell news-gatherer
what a thrilling article they have for him,
have the reporter 20 take II down. and
then, when the item goes In the waste
basket. instead of the next mornings
paper-woai you should hear the report
er's explanation. These are by no means,
however the only disagreeable features OF
= news-gatherers life. He has the printers
to contend with also Sometimes II looks
as II the combined forces OF the typo
graphical union were working 10 bring
about his downfall. I remember once
that a nice article about a wedding had
been written for morning paper. When
X appeared In print IL was a combinations
Of a political meeting funeral. and
marriage, with a preponderance OF in
formation about the former events, and
so arranged as almost TO make. y appear
that the orator who was TO address the
ward -heelers was to be buried, the dead
man was to be married. and the gentle
man contemplating a life of home-bliss
was about 10 launch out upon a political
career.
Another incident which fell under my
observation occurred In the wilds OF North
Carolina many years ago. A certain en-
ergetic newspaper. weekly publication
OF great power and influence In the Ninth
Congressional District. In reporting an
assault case spoke Of the fact that the
fury were hung. and added that the court
and the counsel in the controversy should
also be subjected to the hangman's moose.
Now. the judge did not at all mind the
mode OF execution TO which the lawyers
were subjected but as 10 going up him
u
ously opposed, and in the hour OF his
wrath he had the newspaper indicted
for contempt and fined 500. This the
reporter had 10 pay for using his
caustic IDEAS little indiscreetly. SO. as
I have before said. there are many things
which tend to make the Hfe. experience.
and popularity OF newspaper man
deucediy expensive. though II has its lurid
destinations and environments.
I had intended in this hurried scrawl
which, I may add. in parenthesis. il being
written on my knee as | sit on n fire.
plug In Rockets waiting for a car to
take me TO the Office with an exciting
story OF a mad-dog's escapade, TO deal
with the question OF annexation. As /
have said In all my public and private
utterances upon this important topic. |
am heartily In favor OF annexation. My
views on the question OF consolidating
towns. cities. and people are well known.
Il Is no use for me to here go into the
Details of my opinion, because there is
Nut one word which expresses my faith