Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-11-09
HEROES or THE PRESS
How Spanish AmeriCan var News
Yves Handled at Washington.

tBy David s. Barry, Washington cor
respondent OF the New York Sun
The honors Of the Spanish-American
war Of 1898 having row been about all
distributed II may not be amiss to sug-
5cst that a niche. however small. in the
temple of fame should be given TO the
: Washington newspaper. men who re-
ported the capital end of the brief and
dramatic conflict. This war. which
brought freedom 10 Cuba and gave
birth to the new policy Of territorial eX-
pansion. made heroes of many soldiers.
many OF whom did rot live to enjoy
their Iaurels. and it produced new
statesmen and new political leaders.
Fame has conc 10 all Of them but some
small share Of the glory should fall to
tre lot OF the men who without
thought Of either reward or fame laid
before the American public daily a
word picture OF what was being done
BY the government at Washington.
Reporters as well as correspondents
should have their praises sung. IN the
minds Of many people there is a vast
difference between the Importance and
accomplishment OF a Washington cor
respondent and a Washington reporter
out reason. But it was largely lost
sight Of during the feverish days and
nights OF the spring and long-drawn-
out summer Of 1898. n the time inter
vening between the early gray of dawn
on the morning of February 10th, when
news of the blowing UP OF the Maine
startled the people Of the world. until
the tropicaI-iilse summer afternoon of
A-r-r -,
downpOur OF rain. the secretary of
state and the ambassador of France
went to TIE White House and signed
the peace protocol. some marvellous
feats Of news gathering. news report
ing and news telegraphing were accom-
pIished.
The men who performed this service
to the public are with a few exceptions.
entirely unknown 20 fame and viii
probably 50 remain until the end of the
chapter. But If the brave and patri-
otto young New England lawyer VINO
died from fever contracted in organic
ing Cuban relief expeditions and the
celebrated engineer whose death fol-
lowed quickly upon the Illness that at
tackled him while studying the problem
OF how best to sanitate the city OF Ha-
vana. were heroes and martyrs to the
cause. was that young newspaper re
porter in Washington any less q hero
AMI martyr wha died from Overwork
in the ecrly days CT the war? He was
for several weeks compelled to be On
dut;- IN tie CGlce CT = New YOrl, news
psDe-. practically al tie time. night
and Gas. Re vas young. strong aid
entau. iast.c. ~ t2a strain was too
gre and n succUnDcd. No official
recognition was taken or MS death be
cane 49, -ancer.c5n people in serving
whose interests e had lost his life
never @earI % him. He was one Of an
army IL which distinction Of rank
quicki- became sCbordnated at the
outbreak Of the war to the necessity of
all working together. Journalists be-
came correspondents. correspondents
became reporters, and all We're united
in q common class. The Washington
correspondent proper. that is the men
who represent the great dailies at the
seat Of government. had - dual task 10
perform. They were responsible FOR
the gathering Of the news ana Tor Civ
ing their papers a correct idea Of It's
value and d forecast Of the policy OF
congress and the administration. They
not only saw to il that the news and all
the news was teIeGraphed but they dis
sccted and explained it and fcreshad-
owed what the future was TO bring
forth. Their responsibility was great
and the amount of actual work per
formed still greater. But without the
reporters. the so-cailed hustlers and
ieS-Worllers Of the profession, the cor
respondent would have been hopelessiy
lost in his attempt % report the Wash
inSton end Of the war Of 1858.
no event in history has been 50 thor
oUghly and 50 intelHEentIy reported for
the newspapers as that short. exciting
war. The telegraph and the telephone
were brought into requisition TO an ex-
tent never before attempted and the
amount OF news gathered and sent
from Washington by means Of electric
ity on certain important days was So
great as to be almost beyond belief.
As in no other war did newspaper