The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-29

|
| Writer-A View of Yellow Journalism
Who ]. P Mowbray Was-Joseph Con-
| RAIDS Work.
(By HERBERT BREWSTER)
| II is not often that a man may pc
come famous in two widely separator
fields. Brand Whitlock is one OF the le"
who are coming to that distinction. III
his home city, Toledo, Ohio, he is known
as one of the best criminal lawyers III
the State; the book world knows MIN
only as the author of 1.-The Thlrteenth
District" and as writer of short stories.
It is in this latter field that Mr.. WHIT
| lock engages attention. He is the Klha
of a writer who writes only because ne
| has a story to tell rather than because
he thinks he must tell story. HIS pro +
| fession brings him into touch with life
as few professions can. The other daT
he was engaged on case involving over
| two hundred thousand dollars, when
woman came to him with the request
| that he try to rescue her waywrd daugh-
ter. Mr.. Whitlock dropped his impor-
tant case at once and a reunited FAMILY
happiness was his reward. 1t is just
this sort of thing which makes all OF his
friends love him, and it is such expert
ences that give him his hold on life when,
he comes to express the thing in
story.
Not long ago Mr.. Clarence S. Darrow,
one of the leading yawyers of Chicago,
made Mr. Whitlock a most tempting
offer to join him in his Chicago firm.
II couldn't take it," said Mr. Whitlock
afterwards, because I'm doing some real
good here and I'm able to write here
when 1 feel I must write."'
Sometime during the summer Mr.. Whit
lock will complete his second novel,
story of life in small Ohio town, which
will be brought out this fall
E. w. Townsend in his last book, Lees
and Leaven,' knows, of course, what he
is writing about when it comes to telling
of journalism as it is practiced, so the
following description of yellow journal
methods may be taken as a fair pcturei
Young Paxton. who had made reputa-
tion as a poet and humorist on the
White River Advocate, comes to New
York with his sister Grace, tempted by
an offer fro mhe yellow Chronicle.
Towards first visit to the Chronicle
was an experience. He found chaos in
the reporters room.
81 don't think could do very much
work out there" he said to Carson, the
managing editor, and that worthy's re-
ply was, with an assurance that the
special writer should have a room to
himself somewhere:
"Oh, that's the boiler shop! The kind
of work we do out there would como
to standstill if we kept things quiet
no h.
allowed to fall into rut, and if men are
allowed to work under normal conditions
their work becomes normal. We want
abnormal work: we want men who are
putting the news, the local matter, the
features. the suburban stories into
shape to be under a pressure of excite.
ment, to be a bit ratified little insane,
in truth; for then they are likely to he
seized with -startling-fancies as
to the manner and form their work
should take"
Carson went on: Some men can't
stand it; they break down in health or
go wholly insane little insanity isn't
bad thing We've had lots of stunning
features suggested by men we were
nursing along to keep EN- from going
wholly mad But we don't subject our
special editorial writer's to that strain"
Concerning the editorials, Carson explain
ed that the deadly commonplace was
| wanted. THAT STYLE" he said, carries
an air of profound wisdom to our class
| of readers" Howard got more light on
the Chronicles methods from TurnbiH
one of the star reporters.
Have you made a long engagement
with the Chronicle?" asked TurnbiI at
the dinner table.
mo length of engagement has been men
| toned. Howard answered.
"A contract without time limit"
"A contract"
Il don't want to appear inquisitive;
but have you no contract
"N-no. ur correspondence was tefA4