The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-11
RIVAL OF PRO BONO
Arthur Meachen Explains Why and
How He Writes Newspaper
.,~ Communications. :,
He Believes in Using the Press and
Shapes His Contributions
..=.": systematically.

One Of the best-knaWn. editors in the
northwest, a writer whose name is
specially familiar to 1.-THE twin cities, is
Arthur Meachen Of Minneapolis and st.
Paul. Mr.. Meacham is an unofficial edt-
tor. He is employed by no newspaper.
He. receives no recompense for his inf1u-s
ence upon public opinion. Thruout vthe
day he sells dry goods. At night he
writes communicable to the newspapers;
usually in tffplicate,a and discusses with
sympathetic acumen, divers Questions Of
municipal progress, philanthropy Of
ethics and religion: Not that Mr.. Meach-
en- is a narrow Specialist He will send
nature upon any subject. = What, inter-
ests the: public interests him. :: ~ Homo
sum ct nihil,' ETC., quotes Mr.. Meachen,
classically. ( d 's$rt IIw
Mr. Meachen is employed in the wash
goods division Of a department store at
ST. Paul. But he dwells at 2754 Grand
avenue, Minneapolis, Tand7 e O. from. this city
he mails his editoria notes to Minnesota
newspapers, to journals In Milwaukee,
Kansas City, Chicago, New York,
wherever, public thought seems to demand
stimulation. ~,
The contributor Is a short, slight man.
He has dark hair tinged with gray, dark,
closely trimmed moustache, intent eyes,
a. critical, intellectual face. His manner
is quite as intense. The intonation. of his
voice is somewhat foreign, inasmuch as
he was born, forty-six years ago, at Nor
folk: Eng. .e. p. .-~ go 2 -.
He was educated at large private
school, where he excelled in the fabrlca-
tion of essays. Cant say that won a
prize. Don't think ever did, related
Mr.. Meachan, yesterday, leaning upon
rollof cambria. but I was clever lad
with the pen.yy~ 49, +...-~- .~5.... .. .. .
His literary ambition, however, was
slow to develop. At the of 16 he turned
to Trade, and was apprenticed to dra-
per- And a draper he remained until he
arrived: in Minneapolis a: dozen years ago.
Then he became a dry goods clerk-an
American Transformation. Subsequently
he spent months upon the Pacific coast
and several years in Philadelphia. 1t was
within the shadow of Benjamin Franklin S
statue that Mr.. Meachen rose to private
Journalism He wrote letter to the Rec
ord, the letter was printed-printed as ne
wrote IT., also He wrote to the Press,
and saw himself in print; to the Ledger,
and read his own opinions the next day.
While he remained in the east he occu-
pied more or less space in metropolitan
Journals New York publication sup
pressed one of his letters. !: It was written
on both sides Of the paper. subsequently
he read that editors write on one side only
of their. manuscript. That's, the way I've
profession, "s says Mr.. Meachen, tho l was
never regularly engaged on the staff
Since returning to the west, Mr.
Meachen has connected himself with
newspapers in Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Missouri, Illinois and other states. lie
has literary leisure, being unmarried
This condition also permits him to dls-
cuss without prejudice the needs OF chH-
dren and the ideals of family life. t1
How To Become Successful Contrib
utor? Mr.. Meachen lays down THESE
rules: 4 81
Frst-Write on one side of the paper
Second-Write no more than 200 words
at one time, save in some PUBLIC crisis
Third-Never discuss politics. e
Fourth-Discuss religion d1screetly.
Fifth-Avoid personalities.
Sixth-Send in copy of your letter 81
multaneously to all the papers In town
Thus no one can escape your influence.
Seventh Sign your own name. This il
courageous and sincere and it prevents
MISUNDERSTANDING.
ST write more letters than Pro Bono
Publico, Justice and Old Subscriber put
together said Mr.. Meachen. But Pro.
Bono frequently contradicts himself; and
rye known Justice to take both sides o1
the same question within two months.