The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-07-21

minutes the principal newspaper offices
from Boston 20 San Francisco were about
~ calm and comfortable as den OF roaring
lions. Night editors and managing editors
began a wild scramble over long distance
wires TO save their professional regulations,
but they were bafiied at every turn, and
most of them went crazy before a. M,
which was the proper and only thing to do.
First they stirred up their Washington
correspondents and ordered them 70 sourry
the Capital City in search Of the members
Of Mr.. Dingley's committee. All the big
papers knew The Times Herald had the
bill, and appeals came pouring In from
north, east, south and west. Among the
first TO put In pitiful pleas were the New
York papers, which claim noisy partner
ship with Providence, but sorrowfully had
TO admit 1t was of for the night. Others
Joined In the prayer but The Times-Her-
aid stuffed its ears full Of cotton. 1t
couldn't afford to take any chances Of hav-
ing it's scoop spoiled by being wired back
10 Its contemporaries"
Few "sooops."
Among other great newspaper scoops
which dangle at Mr.. wellman's belt may
be mentioned the following:
Exclusive announcement that President
Elect Cleveland had selected Walter q.
Gresham for his secretary Of state
A sensational interview with the late
Mrs. W. @. Whitney, defending President
Cleveland against ISLANDERS concerning his
domestic affairs.
The supreme court decision In the ia
nous Nebraska governorsbip case.
The supreme court decision in the great
railway rate case.
Exclusive announcement that President
Cleveland had sent the Monroe doctrine
Venezuela dispatch to the British govern
ment
Full text Of the Venezuelan treaty.
Immediately after the election last fall
Mr. Wellman visited Canton, and on his
return to Washington announced semiofh-
cially the programme Of the president elect
tho extra session Of congress, prepara-
ton Of the tariff bill during the winter,
etc.
He also made the first announcement
that John Sherman was to be secretary OF
state and that Mark Hanna was to succeed
him as senator from Ohio.
Success as a Prophet.
These are only few Of Mr.. Weilnan's
achievements in the scoop" line. He has
OF late scored big beat by forecastlng
President MoKiniey's Cuban policy, the
Hawaiian annexation programme, the
sensational instructions to Minister Wood
ford, the Boring sea correspondence and
the administrations currency programme.
1t is as political prophet, perhaps, that
Mr.. Wellman has won greatest reputation.
In 1884 he early predicted the nomination
Of both Cleveland and Blaine. In 1899 he
was equally accurate. In 1895 he was
sarly ON record with prophecy Of Mr..
McKinley's nomination, and through all
the months when only few OF the politi-
cal writer's were able to Gee how Mckinley
could win Mr.. wellman repeatedly show
ed how 1t was we'll nigh impossible for
him to fail.
In the campaign last year Mr.. Wellman
visited all the debatable states east Of the
Rocky mountains and analysed the situa-
ton In a way which attracted wide atten-
ton. His forecast OF the result Of the cleo
ton In tbese states was remarkably aocu-
ratexs For instance, he said Kentucky
would not 60 more than 1000 or 1900 one
way or the other, with the chances In Mo
Kinley's favor.
MOST poheioai observers mao saiu IN
diana was quite as close, with large
chance that Bryan would carry the state.
ftpr Ave- dava ~ Investigation bv his own
methods Mr.. wellman reported Indiana as
sure for Mckinley. BY an analysis of the
total vote he made the plurality 81 900.
BY an estimate by counties he made 1t 49,
600. The actual plurality was about 49,, :
600. Such estimates upon state after state
are more than luck or coincidence. They
indicate analytical powers OF high order.
MIR. wellman confesses that he docs not
know how he does At. 1T Is a sort OF
sixth sense, " no says, land am not en-
titled to any credit for II.
This correspondent Is noted for his ia
miliarity with occurrences "behind the
scenes, In Washington. Day after day the
readers Of this paper have had evidence OF
his Knowledge and skill He deals net
only with large news events and politics
and most interesting personal gossip, but
he strives to give the currents Of thought
and action in public and political life--to
point the finger post at the future. Few
men perform journalistic work Of such
wide range. He Is everywhere regarded
as an authority upon political and diplo-
matte matters. That brilliant newspaper
woman, Margaret Sullivan, once called
Mr.. Wellman 1.-THE undersecretary Of state