The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-02-20
A Journalistic Feat.

Newspapers are still talking of the
journalistic achievements of the late
Mr.. de Blowitz for IS years special
correspondent Of the London Times.
His greatest feat was undoubtedly in
securing for his paper the complete
text of the Boer treaty in 1878 be-
fore it had left the conference room,
or in fact had received the signature
of tho diplomats. Some ten years or
more ago Mr.. De Blowitz wrote the
story of the Berlin treaty "scoop"
for the Century Magazine. 1t was
a fascinating narrative, and is worth
recalling at his time.
MIR. De Blowitz had been commits
stoned by The Times to report the
conference. He knew tho difficulties
he would have to encounter owing to
the secrecy Of the sessions and to
Bismarck's well known antipathy to
newspaper men. AS u preliminary
arrangement for the battle royal he
proposed to wage with the wise mep,
MIR, De Blowitz secured as his aide
a young, we'll connected Parisiam,
dlslnherited and looking for lob.
The young man was told to apply
for secretaryship to diplomat who
| 1T was understood would be an am
| bassador to tEe conference at Berlin.
lie was instructed by Mr. De Blowitz
that while he WAS to indulge in no
gross betrayal Of condolences, never
theless he would be expected at the
close of ench day to give a faithful
report of the progress of the confer
ence.
IT. > plan, in the language of Mr.
yltz, succeeded a merveille.
"oung man secured the secre-
4, D, and presumably served both
hln 'asters we'll. He was not skill
ed in the art of newsgathering, how
ever, and Mr.. De Blowitz often had
to exercise his ingenuity in patching
to gether the merest scraps Of infor.
nation. For example, one evening
the young fellow reported that a
certain ambassador had made speech
which seemed to have created an
awful row-he didn't know what the
speech WAS or anything about it.
MIR. d. Blowitz put on his good
clothes and went to call on an init
mate friend of the man who had
made the speech. Without directly
asking for information, he incident
ally observed that the ambassadors
speech was being severely criticised,
etc, etc. The diplomat came to the
defense of his friend, and before he
was through had practically told the
context of the speech.
The publication Of the treaty, how
ever, was Mr.. De Blowitz' master
stroke. He learned that the treaty
| had been given certain ambassador
for revision. He went to the ambss
sador and requested Il copy, bUt u
course was refused. Mr.. DeBlowitz
persisted to the point that the ambas-
sador finally consented to read the
treaty aloud. 1t was long and com
plicated, and he did oot count on Mr.
DE BlowitZ being able to make any
intelligent use Of it. But he did
not count OF the newspaper mans
trained memory. Mr. DeBlowitz had
what he wanted, and the next morn .
ing the readers Of the London Times
were ablo to read the treaty, which
MIR. DeBlowitz had taken the precau
ton to send from Belgium instead of
Berlin.
This achievement Of Mr. DeBlowitz
was noteworthy; but equally note
worthy would undoubtedly be those,
of many newspaper men now living,
if they could be so told TO be a
successful special correspondent in
these days man must be many
minded-he must at the same time
combine all the wisdom Of the diplo
matist, the finesse Of the practi ical
politician, the strategy OF the mill
tary commander, and the hustle
A Of the newspaper man.