St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-01-19

Debating MIDNIGHT DISPATCH.
the ability to write paragraphs, but
was forceful political editorial
/ writer.
Well, this Renaissance of the news
paper paragraphers' mutual admira-
tion society reminds your corresponds
ent that there is to-day existing a
similar organization, or series Of or
CARNATIONS, in this city. There are
coteries of Washington correspond
ents who exchange news day after
day, or, rather, night after night.
| They help each other along, and
| thereby give their papers better serv-
ice. For example, the correspondent
of New York paper runs across an
item of no value to his readers, but
which would prove to be very inter
esting to the readers of a Chicago
paper. Forthwith he sends that item
to the correspondent of Chicago
paper. In return more than likely
a day win not pass until the CORE
spondent of Chicago paper finds
something which will be valuable to
his friend from New York. and he
sends it to him.
Then there are agreements among
half a dozen spondents that they
viii divide all news of general in
terest. Thus it often happens that
one newspaper each in New York,
Chicago, st. Louis, Omaha, Denver
and San Francisco viii have an ex-
elusive item of valuable news. One
man out of the party has found some
thing interesting and has divided it
with his partners in this news busi-
ness, and all of the other newspaper
correspondents are 'sscooped.''
Whenever there is a river and har-
Dor bill reported from committee
of the: house the Representatives, of
newspapers interested in river and
harbor improvements divide up the
BILL each taking part of it and go
ing over every item, not solely with
a view to giving his own paper the
local news, but with view of looking
after the interests of the other CORE
spondents in this syndicate of fellow
workers. AS a result each one of
them gives his paper better and more
complete service than any one cor
respondent could do, working on the
bill by himself.
For example, one correspondent of
paper in Buffalo, another each in
Detroit, Chicago, Grand Rapids and
Ia - L.
a. view of getting all of the items of
interest to readers residing within
the vicinity of the great lakes. When
they have concluded their work they
get together and make up complete
The result is that they
completely cover the case, and any
one correspondent outside of this |
combination will be likely to fall |
short of the successful work of the |
combined workers.
So there are trusts forming every
where and in all sorts of business.
In union there is strength, and |
wherever men can trust each other /
in combining their work and capital |
it is to be expected that they will do /
SO. The writer had a hard expert |
enee with the combine on great lake /
news about ten years ago. and |
achieved success only by accident. The
combine had worked up their bill with
customary skin, and it was good |
work, too. But late in the evening
your correspondent. representing the
Detroit Tribune, Milwaukee Evening
and St Paul Globe, found I
Sam Stephenson. of
a member of the commit
tee, who knew the bill by heart be-
cause of his careful painstaking work
upon every item of it, and dear old
Sam dictated a dispatch which Gov
ared the great lakes even more com
pletely and entertainingIy than it was
told by the combine boys Ste.
phenson gave reasons for each appro-
oriation, and that of course nobody
out q member of the committee could
10. Until this day the writer has
never told his competitors how he
to get up such a good dis
1atch. As matter of fact It was
Sam stephenson's work, and the cor
was merely an anlanuen-
is.
The stories of how the Washington
correspondents strive for exclusive
lews for the papers served by them
would fill volumes, and all Of them
would be interesting. particularly 10
he newspaper men, the editors aa
veil as the news gatherers.
SMITH D. FRy.