The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-03
SOME MODERN METHODS.
"a Great Big, irresponsible Noise
and What Ii Does.

by a great big, irresponsible noise. Now,
this same noise is a fact 10 be reckoned
with, for good or bad, in a dozen different
forms. Take politics. for example, and es-
pecially political leaders of whom Quay
and Plat are excellent illustrations. Both
of these great bosses are the centers OF
unlimited abuse AT the hands of either
party. But when facts and specifications,
instead of "a big, irresponsible noise" are
called for, they are both lacking. What
has ever been proven against either of
these gentlemen except success? Each IS
at the head of the machine in his own
State and manages it with
ability, just as Morton did in Indiana and
as Conkling in New York. A couple of
years ago Wanamaker succeeded in getting
Quay indicted for misuse of the public
money of Pennsylvania. There was a great
deal of good, honest envy at the bottom Of
the persecution and Quay was at first weak
enough to delay its Investigation. But he
finally met it before court and jury. There
was so little ground for the accusation
that it miserably ~failed-the jury was hard
ly sent out of the box. Now the same is
true of Plat. What has not been said
against him and What has ever been
proved? 1t is well enough to remember
that no %second-rate man can control the
politics of a great State. So TO do is an un-
m~istakable sign of mastership.
"Your %scoundrel or ours?" once
growled grim old Thad Stevens. Let us
turn to some Democrats illustration, for
this same great big, irresponsible noise
is not all on one side. What has not been
said about the three great leaders, Cleve-
land, Hill and Bryan. but what has ever
been proved against either of them? Fifty
years hence Cleveland will be written down
as one OF our great Presidents-fully the
equal Of Old Hickory. Ex-Governor Hill
never makes a speech that he does not say
the last and best word upon his side OF
the case. Why talk about Bryan, as he is
already a piece of ancient history? l should
hardly dare to hold up Croker as a noise
victim. He evidently is New York's answer
to F%lannagin's great question: What are
we here for. if not for ofices?'' Are there
no Crokers in Philadelphia or Chicago?
How about Cox, the Republican boss of
Cincinnati? If he is not of Croker's size, 10
is because Cincinnati is as a rushlight be-
side New York city.
If there is anything which the human
fanny OSA6AbS III II II a StdPtSOdl. GNtlS
town or city has a few men and women
who are, by common consent. the victims of
this big, irresponsible noise" When asked
for facts, clamor is cheerfully taken for
substitute. How many thieves escape by
reason of their vigor in crying Stop, thief"
And how untrue this big. irresponsi-
BILE noise" is when we consider a certain
class of ladiesl AS a rule. the mother-in-
law is the most useful and often the
sweetest member of the household. yet so
much uproar is made over ner, that the
wonder is that any mother permits her
children to marry. Some Of the dearest
women in the whole world are the unmar-
ried-voluntary or involuntary-yet they. as
a class, are universally and maliciously
maligned. The term "old maid" is pure
viciousness. Another queer phenomenon in
noise is the eagerness with which the hu-
man family tumble over each other to
hear or read the platitudes of famous or
even notorious people, who have been ad-
vertised by this same big, irresponsible
noise" while no one pays any attention
whatever to the solid wisdom Of an obscure
man. 1t is the name which floats the speech
or boOk-not the book or speech which
floats the name. The public will drink in
so much pure nectar, anything, no matter
how foolish, which emanates from a celeb
rity. What trash, mixed with superb work.
Tennyson and Browning nave given 10 the
world as poetry. One-third of Shakespeare
is pure bombast, and TO think Of the
dreariness which Kipling. now that his rep
utation is beyond question, sells by the
yard and calls fiction.
Noise is the root of notoriety. Everybody
loves this hazel brush called notoriety.
which grows at the foot of the big oaks
of fame-and seek its welcome shade. As
between publicity and property. the ma
jority of the human race prefer the for
mer and will resort TO any means 10 get
talked about. There are three classes of
bread-winners who have a dead-sure in
come-the photographer, the newspaper
editor and the compiler Of county and state
histories. The number of men who will
pay $50 or $3.50 to see their mugs put into
a cheap, trashy book. which nobody ever
reads is simply amazing. And the appetite
for printed newspaper n~oise-made up OF
wood pulp, jack knives and lamp-black-is
stronge yet. All this is the abnormal side
OF a legitimate appetite. Publicity is indis-
pensable TO success. The professional man
must get his skill before the community.
and this is done by noise. and is Just as
indispensable as advertising to the mer-
chant or patent medicine man. There Is good
Bible authority for this. "No man lighteth
a candle and hideth II under n bushel." The
average human. however. is more concerned
with the height OF the candlestick than the
size OF the light. A good. big. generous
flame is quite Indifferent TO candlesticks
and has no particular fear OF snuners-its
size and heat are a sufficient protection.
Some happy people are born with a genius
for public posing. How do they manage TO
keep themselves SO persistently I'm the blaze
OF notoriety? The answer cannot be given
In words. They are born that way. just as
one man has the gift OF oratory and the
other has not. They know just what 20 do
20 attract the reporters attention and TO
keep In touch with the editor. This Is the
| cheap substitute for scholarship, states
manship and solidity. and the pity OF II Is
| that II Is so successful. Notoriety. However
Is not a bad asset 20 have. There Is money
In popularity. For that reason Il is daily
and hourly purchased at tho costly usury
OF self-respect. Noise Is the mother OF
easy places and soft snaps both In church
and state. This Is the open secret OF the
fury with which the human family pur-
sues a.. IL II noise OF the right kind and In