Evening star., 1921-08-14

end urged him to modify his letters.
saying that he (the democratic ed
itor) would give orders that the let
ters should have the strong anti
Blaine stuff edited out of them. Towns
end refused to soften his comments
on Blaine's candidacy and would not
consent that his letters be revised. 1t
looked for few minutes as though
the editor and correspondent of long
and amiable association would split. At
length the editor said: well, Towns
end, don't write any politics for me
at all. I'll pay you what you are get
ting now If you will write about any,
thing else" That was the compro-
mise. Townsend's letters in that pa
per were about all kinds of subjects
except the campaign. though in other
papers he kept up the fire of his anti
Blaine sentiments.
GEORGE ALFRED TOWNSEND was
~ a great newspaper correspondent
in Washington. and he served as
correspondent with federal armies
during a part of the civil war and at
other times in Europe. The adjective
great" covers a multitude of mean
ings to q multitude of minds. 1t Is
used here as meaning that Townsend
had plenty of brains and ability,
splendid equipment for his job. an ex-
traordinary following among news
paper readers and was large money
maker as a writer. There were WASH
ington newspaper correspondents be-
fore Mr.. Townsend's time. during his
life in Washington and now. VINO at
passed him in ability of expression
in knowledge of history and govern
ment, in familiarity with public men
and current measures, ana whose mar
ration and Interpretation OF events
were quite as valuable to newspapers
as Mr.. Townsend's. AS years went on
George Alfred Townsend built up
background of information which in
creased the worth of his current work,
but that is the case with many corre-
spondents.
George Alfred Townsend became ex-
tremeIy popular with large body of
readers because he gave them some
thing different" He ridiculed and
roasted many public men. There are
few public men or other kinds of men
who have not some loose joint in their
armor or some indiscretion in their
past. A writer who rips another man
up the back very easily gets repu-
tation of being a "forceful and vigor-
GUS writer" and he very likely Is all
that. The public has to read and hear
80 much praise and fiattery of men in
high station that a little bit of de-
nunciation is refreshing to them.
The sweet stuff of the writer who
never likes to give offense clogs the
public palate and when some writer
comes along and hands out fireworks.
hot peppers, tobasco,- lime juice and
sulphuric acid, and tells the public
that he does this because it is his
"bounden duty" and because of his
warm and sincere interest in public
morals, the sanctity of the home. and
his intense yearning to defend and
uplift his fellow men, a large part
of the public falls" for it. shouts
hallelujah and amen, and buys the
paper. The writer who delivers that
line of goods will always work up
a large following of readers! 1t is
the same with politicians. Let q poli-
tician yell loud enough that people
are not so well governed as they
should be, that many of us have not
got as much money as we could
spend. that there is chaos in the
world. inequality in property and
general bedevilment. all of which can
Be cured by the enactment of few
bills which he has in his waistcoat
pocket. there will always be O. Ger.