The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-06
FROM PEN Of
one WHO KNOWS
William E. Curtis Pleasant
Life in NewSpaperdOm.
VISIT TO CONSTANTINOP LE
Sketch of Sultan and His Pc
Culiar Ways.

The big newspaper correspondents lead
! happy lives. They are important. and
/ the worid and their own papers acknowI-
edge it. The lot of William Eleroy Cur
| tbs though. is the pleasantest OF them all.
/ He has life contract with the Chicago
| Record-Herald. He furnishes that paper
daily letter. which is given the place
! of honor on the first page. Practically,
he is his own master. HIS matter is sign
ed and he is held responsible for his
opinions. so he says what he likes and
how he likes. Then, TOO, he is held TO
no fixed work. He may be at Washing
ton today. keeping an Observant eye on
the lawmakers. and tomorrow may find
him in the wilds Of Kamehatka. He is
globe trotter. a cosmopolitan. He knows
Europe as his own land and South Amer
lea. for which he has an especial fond
ness. like his drawing-room. lie knows
everybody. biz and little here in Amer
lea; all the people worth while abroad.
Mr.. Curtis has made this position for
himself 1t has not been handed to Inn
on silver platter. and it is not kept by
favor. He is at the head of American
correspondents because lie is the best of
~ItrAl all Al he were LOl. lie NNu4O
speedily be dumped from his pedestal.
This is not sentimental world. partcu-
larry in newspaper Offices. where the
study of human nature on the seamy
side develops the cynic mind. and where
the contemplation of the Office cash-book
does not tend 10 generosity OF action or
spirit.
The supremacy OF Mr.. Curtis has been
threatened many times Brilliant yOung
fellows have popped up and big things
have been expected Of them. Some have
succeeded, more have fallen by the way
side, but. big or little. they have never
approached Mr.. Curtis in his all-around
capacitycapacity. in his skill to do a
few things brilliantly and all things with
excellence.
The Cleveland Leader likes to say this
of Mr.. Curtis. for+he is a graduate of its
columns and follower Of its methods.
when he was one Of its force his merits
were noted and his career has always
been followed with a warm personal in
terest. All good newspaper men like 20
watch the strong work Of others ana give
it due recognition, but the interest that
has gone out to Mr. Curtis has been Of a
more intimate nature.
Last year, Mr. Curtis was sent abroad
By his paper to make a study Of tho
Turkish and aBlkan questions. He did
so thoroughly, but not heavily He
wasted no time on things of no conse-
quence. He put his trained newspaper
mind which automatically separates The
wheat from the chaf of news TO the CON
sideration of the question, and, without
making report that was dry and ped
asogic, he told the readers OF the Record
eHrald what was the condition of affairs
in those regions. the causes which had
brought them about and how they could
be cured if ever.
The seriousness of affairs there, the
danger OF great European war which
shall DE fought out as Won Moltke proph-
esied under the walls of Constantine
pie" has given these letters of last year
a great and timely interest SO they have
been gathered into book form and called
1.-THE Turk and His Lost Provinces" in
addition TO Turkey. the book deals with
Greece Bulgaria. Servia and Bosnia.
Mr.. Curtis writes plainly. lie effects
no literary graces. but tells of people ana
events in a direct way that instructs
while II interests. He never writes over
the heads of his reader; he never writes
down to them. 1t the letters Of we'll
informed and practical man, addressed
20 those Of like understanding that make
up his book.
Mr. Curtis gives a graphic picture Of
the Sultan of Turkey Like Grover
Cleveland. who used to sit up al night
looking at The Endorsements of applicants
for a minor postofice. the Sultan wishes
70 look after all the details Of government (
HIMSELF He gives instructions on all sub
5ects. hut as he never goes any place
he has to depend upon his ministers for
carrying OF his plans and they seldom
DO tins From lis park he can see what
is supposed to he his navy. IN reality II
is only the husks OF one. The money h
allows for the navy supplies. SEINE 500
o00 is all stolen. The boats themselves.
even the new ones built for use during
the war with Greece. have been stripped
OF everything by the officers ard sailors.
who have not received thei- pay. The
shops are Idle and empty. though the
Sultan believes thev are filed With work
men He pays for than at any rate Az
If his boats are useless save few httle
gunboats.
IT is said that Shanghai. China. s. the
dirtiest city Fl the world. remarks ~
Curtis: that Peking IS ter times dir
tier than Shanghai. and th4t Canton s.
ten times as dirty as FeAing. but Con
stantiaople is as dirty as all Of them pat
together. The ravemen;s are simply hcr-
IibIe Yet the Sultan. who has never rio
den about HE capital. g labo.lng under
the delusi0n that il is sweet ana clean
Ssreral years ago he took q notion - 70
bv Garage Instead OF boat 10 SsragI1
Point uron rs anrzal pilsrimase g. FFor-
ship osfore The holy manti1 - tn Iroph-
et Mahemne8- The osscsrs - the nun
cipsI government c0verai the pavement
os TIRE street through which p Vas =
rass with GEe sand two or three lnehss
deep. This not Only concealed the arr
but made q smooth ard comfortable
track fo- his carriage TIE sulian vas
delighted ard gave isrge sura = money
60 TX all The streets q CoEstsatiE5q-e IL
the saue manner Ire ot.eiais took IRE
money. rat IL iu their pockets. and -o-a-
tnr vas done 70 The sgreals
There is stealing everywhere AZ
sample. 2sr curtis rotes THAT she fees
~ the sraalc arross The briggs lu Con-
stautlucple base seea proves - aetaa'
ard conservative c1=Et 70 = - -
least g. 80 2 Gag 81 fhis tie eos Ta-rt
-s-.--s-..-s -r..r r-ar ~r.a r.ef = rn.s1