The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-10

of the race war in Springfield, Ohio, re-
membering that the Caucasianss COM
menced it. E
War Correspondents.
The distinguished British general
Sir Garnet Wolseley, some years ago
declared that newspaper corresponds
fents and all that race Of drones are
an incumbrance to an army; they eat
the rations of fighting men and do no
work at all" and accumulated thisl
amiable declaration with the CHARGE
that war correspondents are "spies''I
and newly invented curses to armies
Wolseley seems to be in close accord
with the Duke Of wellington (the
Iron Duke), who declared, during the
Peninsular war, that any journalist
found hanging about any Of the camps
where he had authority, would be
hanged on the nearest tree, as his own
dispatches embodied the only true
statement of fact touching any occur
renee. s.
At that time, however, there was no
such profession as that Of war CORE
spondent. DR.. Russell is usually cred
tied with being the father of the pro-
fession, because of his distinction as
the London Times correspondent dur
ing the Crimean war; but several years
previously, during the Mexican war,
the New Orleans Picayune and the
New Orleans Delta had very efficient
war correspondents afield, who made
| the very best Of the somewhat meager
facilities for transmitting war news,
their matter being reprinted largely
turnout the country.
| It may be expected that the period
of discordant rumors as to the war in
| the east will come to an end before
long, when the close work Of armies
in touch with each other has to be
reported. AS to General Sir Garnet
Wolseley's abusive characterizations
of war correspondents, these gentle
men are abundantly able to defend
themselves against them. Such cor
respondents as our own fearless and
noble MacGahan and the Englishman,
Archibald Forbes, who were types of
honorable and efficient correspondents,
i with their worthy successors during
the late war with Spain, contradict
who was never in a position on the
/ field of battle where he was exposed
4 to- such perils from exploding shells
and deadly bullets as have been scores
Of war correspondents who might be
named. Wolseley never in his life
tried standing on an eminence, calmly
sketching the turmoil Of battle, with
shells bursting with terrible frequen-
!, cy in his Immediate vicinity as VIII
i liers and many other artist CORE
spondents have done. MacGahan
:. died in the harness. He accompanied
the czar's army thru the hard expe-
riences Of the crossing of the Danube
and tn. continuous fighting to the
Balkans and the struggle thru the
Shipka pass, and died at his post in
sight Of the domes and minarets of
Constantinople, the goal of the Rus
sian activities in Turkey. The high
. est compliment Forbes ever paid any
man, he paid to MacGahan, a CORE
spondent of several wars.
: A war correspondent, according to
Philip Salisbury, who has himself had
heroic experience, ought to combine
'the dash of an aide-de-camp, the
skill Of general, the horsemanshil
I Of a jockey, the calmness Of a diplo.
matist, the art of a cook, the temper
s Of a saint, the strength OLA lion, the
T cunning. Of a fox, the sharpness Of {
0 hound" That, of course, is the ideal
|. Experience will bestow it, doubtless
e upon the earnest and intelligent cor
t respondent who goes to the front will
: a willing heart to endure hardship ani
d suffering, if need be, and an iron con
Y stitution. The man who would &C
quire the reputation Of great wa.
: correspondent must count the cost t,
: himself and unfinchingly face all tn
perils and hardships.
: BY the public, and by not a few
|. men Of war, correspondents, .durin
z the last fifty years have come to b
g acknowledged as an essential part o
IS an army during a campaign. The pub
/ lie wants more than the comparativel
-f scant news in the official dispatche
: Of generals commanding, and the pub
e lie readily discriminates between tn
If prentice hand Of the inexperience
,, and the practiced hand Of the expert
n enced campaigning correspondent VIII
) has, over and over again, performe
! most valuable service for the officer
and army with whom he is associated
Undoubtedly the council will grant |
e John Burns the permission which /