Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-14
OFF-HANO OBSERVATIONS.

It was very thOugntful Tn MT V DITCH to afford each one of his Age-Herald fam fly the luxury of seeing their names in print It is not often that newspaper man gets his name in the papers. This opportunity might be embraced to snow off by writing brilliant article and thus letting the people know who writes all those good things that appear in the Age Herald. Perhaps my co-workers Wih take this opportunity to do that, but as for myself 1 will reserve my powers untll l drop back into the anonimity that shrouds the newspaper writer. AS thus article is signed 1t is personal, anyway, and 1t may not be amiss to give teW personal observations that may prove entertaining if not instructive, or instruc- tive if not entertaining.
 The good people of Birmingham have shown me many kindnesseS and courte- ses, for which I am profoundly thankful Their goodness will not be forgotten. 1T have ever hurt their feelings by ill- advised publications, or wounded their dignity by too much levity. 1t was an er- TOT of the head and not of the heart. It seems to me sometimes that the grandest men and women in the world live in Bir- mingham, and that their only failing is that they take things too seriously. Other newspaper men in other cities may think the same of their people, for aught I know. It may be a common failing with people to take everything seriously they read in the papers.
 The greatest difficulty a newspaper WI iter exp rienoes is in finding man who knows more than he does. This is not said in spirit of vanity, but in sorrow at the lack of information among so-called intelligent men. When a writer on the press meets with man like Col. S. w. John who possesses correct and varied information, he feels the exaltation that comes in discovering a treasure house. The slave of the pencil does not envy the rich, but only those whose intellectual treasures are greater than his own. He does not seek for opnions-he has more opinions of his own than the paper will pay for-but he wants facts.
 The public generally has an idea that newspaper has little regard for the truth There never was a greater mis- take. The men who make the paper are slaves of the truth. They spend hours getting at fact that may be expressed in short paragraph. Thousands or keen eyes are on the lookout for mis- take or misstatement. A case in point: A northern paper asserted that Adlai Stevenson did not favor the Democratic tariff bill. As Stevenson may become candidate for the presidency the state- ment was worth looking into. The Con- gressional Record was searched and It stated that at critical period in its passage the bill was saved by the presid- ing officer of the senate, but 1t did not say that MT. Stevenson was in the chair. Several gentlemen who keep well in- formed on public affairs were appealed to, but had no distinct recollection of the matter. Senator Morgan visited Bir- mingham and was asked about 1t, but did not remember.
 Every morning when the journalist wakes up he thinks, today I will write something that will make me famous" But the pinnacle is not reached at bound, and only by slow and tedious steps. An editorial writer recently wrote an article that pleased him very much. To his trained judgment it was perfect piece of newspaper writing. It was on subject that people were thinking about; was short, pointed, witty, and contained quaint conceit. When that is read people will want to know who wrote 1t, and it will go the rounds of the press" he said. All day he listened for words of praise, but they came not. The ex- changes are sometimes stale, flat and un- profitable, but for days he watched them with renewed interest His pet para graph did not appear. He was about to conclude that his judgment was faulty. But one day he found his article in the Russell Register, county paper of this state, and he felt like hugging that ed- itor.' He is a man who knows a good thing when he sees it." Then the New York Tribune published half of the arti- cle, and he concluded that his judgment was not altogether at fault.
 There Is one class or men or no use to the newspaper writer-the peSimiSts. He is in pursuit of good news and must go to the optimists. Bad news comes of it's own accord. A Methodist preacher was once sent to Demopolis to take charge of the flock. His predecessor car ried him around to introduce him. After the rounds were made the new preacher said, Brother are all the pc Jple in this charge poor people?" "Oh, I did not carry you to see the rich people, for 1 knew you would find them out yourself" was the reply.
 The newspaper men are often seen standing on the corner, and thus get the reputation of being loafers. Do not make such a great mistake, gentle reader. He works while you are asleep. And he may be on the scent of a big piece of news, and is only standing poised for an instant like the fish-hawk in mid air be-. fore he swoops upon his prey. Or his brain may be evolving a thought that will set the world on fire.
 The biggest and the busiest man will lay down his pen to talk to a representa- tive of the Age Herald, for he knows that he Is not talking to one man but to thou sands. It is astonishing what a change the name "Age-Herald" will work. It Is the open sesame to treasures of knowl- edge and information.
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