Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02

of the best equipped men for brilliant
political careers to be found anywhere
in this country. If it was not invidious,
should name them: but it only is
necessary to point to several notable
instances of men who have distinguished
themselves upon the floors of House and
Senate after equally successful careers in
the press gallery One curious fact about
many of the ablest correspondents has
occasioned me surprise: They are de-
fcient in knowledge of parliamentary
procedure This is a serious oversight,
and sometimes renders ridiculous what
they write.
"a memorable instance of a lack of
knowledge concerning the methods of or
ganizlng the Senate was savage attack
made by a well-known correspondent
upon the President of that chamber,
because he has appointed Senator X
Upon the Finance Committee. The les
son that he read to his readers was that
the Senator represented Wall Street in
terests; but the correspondent S ignorance
was shown in his assumption that the
Senate was organized in manner similar
to the House of Representatives, where
the Speaker appoints the committees.
In the Senate chamber that work is done
by what is called The Steering Com
rnittee.' The presiding officer of the
Senate, whether ex-officio or elected, has
nothing whatever to do with thesselection
of the names to complete the committee
rolls
But my criticism will not apply to
all Washington correspondents, and, re-
member, it is the only FAULT | can find in
any of them. Three journalists in that
gallery whom | have in mind are able
parliamentarians, capable OF presiding
over the deliberations of the House of
Representatives under the most trying
circumstances, and ruling with accuracy
and promptitude upon airy question that
might arise. In my opinion, a knowi
edge of parliamentary tactics opens to
men who possess It a vista that is closed
to their less fortunate brethren So in
formed, the correspondent often can see
beyond visible appearances, and can pre-
dict with accuracy the progress or ulti-
mate fate of an important public measure
Therefore, the special correspondent
should be a parliamentarian. The value
of that intellectual acquisition, if he en-
tiers politics, is beyond estimate.
"A valuable feature of the journalistic
training is its development of skill in the
use of language. The reporter however
good may have been his education, is
forced to learn to write, to write forciblv
clearly, impressively, and the value of
this power in any department of life
needs no emphasis The reporter who
grows becomes more and more critical
of his own work never is wholly satisfied
with his manuscrip pit. This may initiate
against the quantity of copy he can pro-
duce; but the reader is served better.
A reporter should strive especially to
acquire the art of description. There is
no middle class for descriptive writer's
Such work is, either high class or un-
worthy Of print, contemplate 1t must
be accurate, as well as interesting. l do
not mean descri ptions of natural scenery,
but of stirring events, such as riot in a
square, the investiture of a cardinal,
the installation of a president of this
Republic the coronation of king or