Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
Many Changes Have Occurred
in Fifty Years.
GATHERING THE NEWS
THE STAR AND THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT.
Modern Methods of Reporting Affairs
Influence of the Press is
Now Keenly Felt.
BY Robert Toombs Small.


entirety to the District courts, and Mayor
] w. Maury was receiving the meager
annuity of 81 600 as the executive head OF
the national capital the first edition of The
Evening Star was issued. Since those clos
ing DAYS of 1852 time has wrought many
wonderful changes in Washington. The
vicissitudes that mark the upbuildlng or
METROPOLITAN city have been met and passed
through safely. The municipal government
and the national government are now in the
tvyentv-ffth wear of a compact which seems
to assure a future to Washing ION toward
which the residents of the capital as we'll
as the people of the whole nation, may look
with pride and satisfaction.
The interesting history of the local gov
ernment during these last fifty years IS
faithfully traced and portrayed in the hles
of The Star. The period has been one OF
unusual newsmaking almost throughout,
and It has been the purpose of this paper to
follow the affairs here at home to the iul-
est nossible extent. The relationship be-
tween The Star and the municipal authori-
ties has always been close one. AS the
city has grown so has The Star expanded.
As marked as have been the changes IN
the form of government in the District or
Columbia. they have been no more pro-
nounced than the changes in the methods OF
newsmaking and newsgathering in munich
nal circles The people have been gradually
educated up to a revoutionized idea OF
news They have been taught to take an
interest In all the affairs of the home gov
eminent and are no longer content with the
knowledge of the mere fact that the Com
missioners have done this or that. Ihey
want the circumstances leading up to the
action OF the Commissioners; they want TO
be In touch with the views of the authorl-
ties on various subjects connected with the
civ and its Improvement; and, what is most
important Of ALL the citizens of the capital
are showing a disposition to assist the Com
missioners in their dealings with Congress
and constantly bring to bear personal In
nuences to supplement the official advocacy.
Through a thorough dissemination of the
news features OF the on-gOings at the Dis
trct building the people are Informed OF
practically every matter under considera-
ton, and they manifest an appreciation of
this phase OF newsgathering by writing
thousands of letters each year TO the Com
missloners, Offering advice or criticism as
the case may be- and inquiring with regard
to many and varied subjects. These very
communications. taken in connection with
Inc reports uldue upon lI4tHl llOli INC III
der-officials and the final action of the Com
mssioners, create news and constitute a
large proportion of the daily routine. In
nearly every instance these communlca-
lions bear upon some subject in which hum
dreds OF people in addition to the writer
may be interested. There are some people
in the District who take such deep inter-
est In the local government as to write to
the Commissioners almost daily. Many of
these letters or complaints are frivolous.
When so considered they are simply noted
and filed away in ever-increasing volume.
The Change in Conditions.
The change in conditions between 1852 and
1902 in gathering the news Of the munich
pality Is indeed pronounced. In 80, and, in
fact, for many years after, call al the
mayors office on the part of the reporter
every day or so, or as often as convenient
was considered sufficient to garner every
whit OF news the officials We're making or
the people wished to hear Now The Star
has a representative whose sole duty 1t is
TO remain at the District building from the
time of the arrival of the Commissioners at
their offices each morning until the paper
goes to press The authorities, too, have
recognized the important part the news
paper plays in the affairs of the municipal
fly and have assigned a room Immediately
adjoining that of the president of the Dis
trict board to the newspaper men. and have
placed It completely in their custody.
The education of the people into new and
broader Ideas Of news has not been lost
upon the public officials. Many of these
have developed the news sense" to large
extent, and In the routine of their office
affairs can detect the things that will in
terest the public. The official who really
knows news when he sees it" is the joy
Of the newspaper mans life. He makes
friends rapidly and the men who write are
ready TO swear by him to the bitter end
When the day is dull and there is no real
news to be had the officials who remember
something interesting or amusing in the pa
pers they have handled, or who can hunt
about their desks until they run across
something that will suggest a feature
story" are the men to be desired in the
departments There are a number OF such
men at the District building, and they
help materially to make readable copy
The officials of the District have come
TO realize the Importance and the advan-
tages Of having the people interested in
their especial departments. They know
that the papers will print all the interest
Ing portions OF their annual or monthly re-
quently 1t is to their benefit to make the
statements as attractive as possible. In
days Of old the report of a city officer was
hardly ever mentioned. a reference to It
Mt a council meeting was hattering atten-
tion. The printing of these reports now
adays is an evidence of the new interest of
the people. of the new idea of news, and
one OF the differences between the new
Journalism and the old.
II suppose In the old days" II was sug-
gested the other day TO a newspaper man of
the time when The Star was young you
fellows had to do the courts as we'll as the
city government offices. since both We're To-
Gated in the same building didn't you?'
boy" replied he, with fine scorn. II
used to report the navy yard, the courts,
the mayors office. the registers office, the
Justices OF the peace, the central guard
house, and all the station houses in the
wards. fires. murders suicides, hangings,
council meetings, ward meetings and any
thing else that came in handy. We used
TO work In those days"
The statement was not over5rawn.
There's no denying the fact the reporter
of long ago covered lots of territory, but