The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-04
HUMBLE ARCHITECTS or FAME

HUMBLE ARCHITECTS OF FAM
TIE PRESS AGENTS WIDENING
FIELD or ACTIVITY.
Get Near . Threno-They Arc Useful
to society snd Corporations Alike
But on the Drama They Flourish Most
The calling Of the press agent II ancient.
and there are many persons who would now
deem 1t honorable. Few would deny that
it IL convenient, not alone to the man who
gets the salary. but also to the curious world
that derives its information from his efforts.
In the popular mind the press agent is
associated chiefly with the achievements
Of the actress who takes milk baths, saves
a family from the results Of runaway
accident, or receives . poisoned note in
bouquet. This field Of activity ID In reality
a small part Of the press agents work.
Only short time ago there was . rumor
that the Sultan OF Turkey had added such
an Official to his household staff to give the
world less prejudiced accounts Of his efforts
toward suppressing rebellions in Macedonia.
Tho Sultan did not take this wise step; but.
nevertheless, the work Of tho press agent
has been appreciated in very high quarters.
II ia fact, for instance, that Hawaii has
recently engaged press agent TO illuminate
tho world. and In particular tho United
States. ~ to the great charms Of the Islands.
There Ia to be $4,000 devoted to that pur-
pose during the hrst year Of tho new sxper-
iment. II there b what Chuck Connors uDed
to call . come back. the press agent Of thoes
dowery hles will hold down his Job for .
longer period.
Corporations have for some years past
been in the habit Of employing press agents
to mako known the Incidents Of their b,Mi-
meas that may be Of interest 10 tho public.
One OF the largest Of these corporations
pays its representative salAry OF $500 .
year.
Some employ press agents for the purpose
Of keeping facts from the public. or at all
events, to see that they appear In certain
form. But corporations Of this kind arc
in the minority. Tho press agent usually
employed by corporation u there for tho
purpose Of giving out any legitimate infor-
nation that may interest the public.
II the soubretts likes to supply herseH
with a press agent. 90 does the politician
who has his views to give to the world and
prefers to have them emanated from an
other source than himself. What he might
not modestly say Of himself can Be discreetly
circulated by the promoter Of publicity
dedicated to his service.
Honors thrust on him that he cannot
with propristy mention may be described
In full by the agent known to possess his
confidence. At election times his views
can often find their way to the ear Of the
public through the Manifestations Of his
agent, when without the press agents
aid, In the hurry and crush Of campaign,
they might be overlooked.
Tho political press agent dates from the
earliest days OF this country's history,
when Alexander Hamilton and Thomas
Jefferson were memberu Of WashinGton's
Cabinet. Alexander Hamilton founded a
newspaper In this city. which was TO be
his personal organ and represent him be-
fore the public. Thomas Jefferson then
estsbliahed paper In Philadelphia 10 serve
that same purpose for him. Nowadays
the efforts Of one man are often enough
for the purposes OF politician. who would
not have need Of an entire Newspaper.
In campaign times every party. OF course,
has it's press agent apart from tho person
who may be engaged to boom the candi-
date Of any particular district. Tho politi-
cal press agent, Of course. finds his services
in greatest demand at election time, al
though some press agents find steady
employment
These are attached usually to percentages
Of high political importance, and it some
times happens that they are called private
secretaries. But they are mono the less
active in performing the services Of the
press agent, and 1t Is said that the political
private secretary often reaches his post
after having given exhibitions Of his
powers ~ q press Agent.
Col. Allston Brown. who loves to delve
in the dry bones Of New York theatrical
history, has discovered that the hrst press
agent OF the most familiar kind was in
vented by Charles 0ilfert. manager Of the
old Bowery Theatre. who died in 1920. He
died penniless too. although his loss Of the
fortune he earned during his lifetime could
not have been attributed to his enterprise
in first employing man to attract atten-
ton to the merits OF his actors.
Mr.. Gilfert used to have q writer who
would prepare for the newspapers puffs
OF the actors In the company that he
thought it to his interest to boom. Until
that time such practice WAS unknown;
burnings caused the actors who did not
happen to be pulled.
For a long time the press agent habit
among actors fell into disuse and il was
not until 1880 that an effort to revive it was
made at the old Standard Theatre, now the
Manhattan, in this city. Col. William
Henderson, then it's manager. wanted to
awaken more than the ordinary interest
in the performances Of his companies and
engaged no less distinguished person than
the great Tody Hamilton to supply the
kind of literature to the newspapers that
he wanted to have pTinted-lterature OF
a school generally described as dog stories.
Mr.. Hamilton Get to work. but the press
in those days was little bit shy Of the
dog story emanating from a high class
theatre. So the system had temporary
setback.
But the press agent. as the successor Of
the man on the managers staff who wrote
the advertisements and routine announce
ments, was bound to come, and for more
than decade he has been important in