The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-28

shall say something of newspaper
reporters, for the reason that they
rarely say anything for themselves.
OF all professional men who con-
tribute to the information and gayety
of nations, there are none whose la
bors are more impersonal.
Audiences gather in a church, at
tracted by the eloquence of a preacher
whose personality commands rever-
ence, or in a theater by the talents of
an actor whose performances provoke
applause. The names of such men
become household words. Their coun-
tenances are familiar They achieve
distinction because the public sees
them in the midst of their labors.
Their lights are not hidden under a
bushel, but placed on a candlestick.
The reporter, on the other hand,
may write for his paper a better ser
mon then the preacher can preach,
or a better play than the actor adopts
for the display of his genius, yet his
production goes out associated from
its creator, and appears anonymously,
with no intimation of the identity of
the author.
The editor of a newspaper of any
considerable circulation is generally
well known. 1t is usual for his name
to appear somewhere on it's pages. The
reporter gets no such publicity, and l
have not heard that he demands or
expects it. While he makes newspa-
pers, enriches proprietors, and ex-
ploits two-by-four politicians until
they become statesmen in public esti-
nation. he remains "a youth to for
tune and to fame unknown"
Our Savior inquired, (which of you.
by taking thought, can add a cubit
unto his stature?" meaning that no
small man can expand to the dimen-
sions of a great man by thinking he is
great. While this cannot be done by
the himself tho
add cubits to the stature of diminutive
men, and does it every day.
The mutations of politics in this
country often render conspicuous, by
thrusting into office, men whose train
ing has not made them effective in
playing checkers or pitching horse
shoes. Such men, exalted by a ma
jority vote, imagine that their sudden
rise is due to superior ability, instead
of the ignorance or prejudice of their
constituents.
afar these aspirants for glory, and con-
structs many an interesting article out
of their observations on important
questions, converting their inane views
into grammatical form, sensibly ex-
pressed, which tends to make that
part of the public which does not
know the persons interviewed think
they are men of parts and substance.
Work of Harvey Parsons.
Our friend Harvey Parsons, during
three or four sessions of the legisla-
ture last past, went further than is
usual in such cases, and ACCOMPANIED
his flattering interviews and fulsome
biographies with pictures of the mem
bers.
Not being a connofsseur in art, |
shall not venture to criticise Mr.. Par
sons's portraits of these honorable
gentlemen In the back numbers OF
the Topeka State Journal these pic
lures are duly labeled and preserved
While none of them resemble anybody
in particular, yet 1 think they faith
fully portray the physiognomy OF
members of the legislature in general
L can testify to the expressions OF
pleasure with which these pictures
were received by the persons they
were intended to represent
My duties as registered lobbyist and
legislative counsel have called me into
the halls of the legislature for the last
several years, when that body was in
session. / have often seen members
looking with inward satisfaction and