Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-19

confidential information. They want
stuff they can print. They are wise.
Most Of them were here when we came,
and many who are here now will be
here when we go. They know the game
and It Is hard to deceive them. All
you've got to do to be squarely treated
Is to treat them squarely. They want
no favors. They don't banker for your
companionship. Quit trying to fool
yourself on this newspaper business,
Jim, and go out and play 1t straight
You need all the publicity you can get,
IL you are square, and you don't need
any II you are not square. You can
help the first and you can't stop the
second kind. That's all there Is to
that"
Paxton walked over to Marsh and
patted him on the shoulder. I'll bet
you box Of cigars" he said, that al
though you are pestered by reporters.
you've got a clipping Of that Sunday
story with your picture at the top Of 1t
in your inside pocket this minute"
Marsh blushed. He had. "Oh, well"
he said, II didn't mean exactly what I
said"
"Of course not, and be careful you
never do mean It. A public man with
out publicity becomes private man so
quickly It makes his head SWIM"
Marsh thought a good deal about
what the senator had said, and was
impressed when Mrs. Marsh told him
incidentally that she considered the So
ciety columns in the newspapers to be
the greatest levers for social success In
Washington.
Certainly" commented Mrs. Lyster,
who was sitting with them In the hotel
parlor when Mrs. Marsh made this re-
mark. IF there is to be no mention OF
q function in the newspapers func-
ton might as well not be given. What
advantage is 1t to hostess to work
and worry and plan and scheme and
intrigue to get distinguished people to
come to her dinners or to attend her
parties, unless the world knows she is
able to snare those distinguished per-
sonages? How can she be repaid for
all the expense and trouble and the
jealousy and the criticism and the SO.
cial ambitions that run counter to hers
except by having the world know.
through the kindly ministrations Of the
society editors, that this hostess has
attained sufficient position to drag
these honored guests to her house? II
the newspapers were to abolish the So
ciety columns the number Of social af-
fairs in this town would dwindle to
nothing And that means every kind
of social affair, from the biggest down
to the most modest, except, OF course,
family dinner parties where real
friends are asked in.
TT is amusing to watch their efforts" !"
continued Mrs. Lyster. "One month ]
kept track of the various paragraphs
sent in by herself Of course-about a
young woman who Is in what call the
near cabinet set, the wife of an assist
ant secretary, you know. Well, in the
thirty -one days Of that month there
were exactly forty-two items about
that ambitious social leader, detailing
her every movement. If she expected
a guest then the expectation was an
nounced then the arrival; then the
fact that the guest was there; then the
projected departure Of the guest; then
the actual departure; and then on the
following Sunday a resume Of the en-
tire matter. And there are dozens just
like her. The society columns In the
newspapers may be predicated on soci-
ETY., but more than that, far more, is
society predicated on the society col
umns. We simply couldn't exist with
out those aids to our advancement"
Marsh looked at his wife and grinned
Mrs. Marsh said nothing, but when
they went upstairs she asked: Curl
ously old-fashioned ideas Mrs. Lyster
has, don't you think?"
"Oh, 1 guess her views are open to
argument" Marsh replied.