Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-11-16
NEWSPAPER MAKERS
THE MAGNETISM THAT THERE IS IN
THE PROFESSION.


- Reporter.
like to brag about newspaper men
who have done good work, because the
men themselves don't like IL For one
newspaper man to chant the praises Of
others Of his craft IL considered taboo. :"
aud the very fact Of its being tabooed
makes Il exceptionally tempting at
times, 70 frail are we all The proper
professional attitude for q newspaper
Misunderstanding to conyention--is that
Of being always slightly bored and Of
hating above all things to see his own
or another newspaper mans name In
print Az to being In love with his pro-
fession-well, that's oil right for new
hand just from college. but now--ratsl
Don't you believe word about news
paper work making genuine newspaper
men tired. They couldn't keep away
from IL II they tried. n Robinson Cru
500 had been n newspaper man, he
would have printed daily edition Of
the Juan Fernandez Castaway In blunt
stick type on the sand in front Of his
hut every morning and got ont an extra
when he captured Friday.
And il must be that age and rank and
station don't serve to benumb this feel
ing. When Sir Edwin Arnold happened
to be In st. Louis q few years ago,
sudden crisis in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
Epglishmen glaring ut each other across
the rugged crests Of the Pamirs. the
Roof Of the World"-made an inter.
view with him Of especially timely
value. II came into my days work to
see him, and at the close Of the inter.
view be fell to talking about the Incl
dental phases Of . possible Russo Eng
lish war.
SHOULD such war DO declared, "
said Sir Edwin. II would instantly 60
TO the front for my paper"-the Lon
don Telegrapb-"and serve as q special
correspondent II Is the most fascinat-
ing work in the profession. and there Ii
none more fascinating outside. "
And a moment later the English poet
and newspaper editor was telling me
that be considered James Whiicomb
Riley che most distinotively national al
living American poets. and that to his
MUD Riley owed much OF this 20 tho
fact ,ha, be was "newspapsr poet
instead % q magazine poet
II only had Dr. Chaunc,y NJ De-
Pew here 10 join in this talk about
newspaper men. then you'd begin to
realize what fno fellows they really
are Dr.. pspew touldn't live without
Newspaper nen They visit him in his
private ofiico In the New York head
quarters Of the New York Central rail
road. and they laugh nj the Jokes In his
after dinner speeches and boom him for
the presidency Of the United States and
for anything else be may desire simply
because they like him and he likes
them. The FIRST and oply time ever
saw DR. Derew was st the Republican
national convention of is92 in Mime.
apolis, whittier Dr. Depew repaired %
one Of the Big Four" Of that very
lively convention. He was surrounded
six deep by newspaper correspondents
facing them. tall and irreproachably
grooned, looking for all the world like
the swell old heavy father in 1.-The
Bankers Daughter. aud giving out all
the news he consistently could, sup
pose. And when he had exhausted his
budget Tor the time being lie turned in
and gave them "Depew jolly" Of tho
press which was really q daisy in its
line OF course I'm not going to tell
you what he said, because. honestly. 10
was bit steep. but Just want to give
you on idea that would be greatly re-
enforced In this talk il could have DR..
Depew here to take hand in It,
Talking Of conventions and bearing
In mind my already expressed disbelief
in the possibility Of q newspaper mans
ever getting tired Of newspaper work.
I want to make kind Of exception.
The tiredest lot Of newspaper men I
ever saw was ut the close Of the famous
all night session Of the Democratic ma
tionaI convention OF that same year
lS92-in Chicago II was the night Of
the great anti Cleveland fight made by
Tammany in the last ditch; the night
when Bourke Cochran made the great
est speech Of his life; the night when
such an orator rs Daniel Of Virginia
was booted from the platform because
the convention was actually too ex-
hausted to listen: the night when Cleve-
land was nominated. With one recess.
II am not mistaken. the convention
remained in session from 10 O'Clock one
morning until Z o'clock the next 1t
was crucial session, too. and kept
correspondents ON the alert every mo-
ment Bourke Cockran's speech against
Cleveland was made about 1850 in the
morning. and dying man would have
been forced TO listen and thrill ut its
eloquent invective and mastery sar.
casm. But after that came the awful
slump Of utter WEAKNESS. When the
convention adjourned. day had broken
over Chicago and the streets were gray
in its early light White faced and
limp. the corps Of special correspond
ents almost staggered out and made
their sleep blind way to their respect
i've hotels Tired: Yes, but II was as
soldier Is tired in the trenches A few
hours sleep and the fight would be re-
sumed as CALAMITY as ever.-R d
Saunders i'm 81 Jouis ReDuhIic