The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-12-29
Seeking The Li1nelight
By ]. A. HALL

By ]. A. HALL
One thing which we all notice is the
persistence with which certain indi-
viduals manage to keep themselves in
the public spotlight. 1t was said of a
certain politician, we'll known a few
years ago, that he loved horses, hunt
ing, good liquor and-publicity. To
this man, who had adopted politics as
a career, publicity was valuable as
set. Favorable publicity was his chief
stock in trade and he devised many
ways by which his personality, his
picture or his printed name would be
kept constantly in the public eye. He,
very naturally, preferred to be pre-
sented to the newspaper readers Of the
state in laudatory way, but he held
to the belief that adverse publicity
was more valuable than none, and he
was charged with having induced GER
tain persons to assail him bitterly in
the public press in order that he might
have the opportunity of making
smashing reply. Keeping in the lime
light is such an important factor in
political success that some men give
valuable time, effort and money in
aiding various movements because
these movements have the favorable
consideration of large number of
people. Many men have succeeded in
winning the affectionate regard of
their fellow-citizens and been kept in
Office for long periods of time, not be-
cause of their qualifications as states
men, but because they were good en-
tertainers and able to make masses
of people feel certain comradeship
with them. Bob Taylor's singing and
fiddling and Lincoln's funny stories
were effective means by which atten-
ton and sympathy could be easily and
quickly secured.
The marvellous development of pho
Biography and printing has opened a
new door to personal publicity. Per-
sons who habitually attend various
kinds of gatherings are constantly
being photographed and their pic
lures reproduced in the Sunday pap
ers. Forty years ago in Quackenbos'
old common school grammar, stud
ents were required to analyze SEN
tence which read: photography is
the art which makes mediocricy look
like genius" In our day, photography
and printing have not only given a
halo of Importance to a great many
people who were formerly unknown to
the public but, by printing these pho
tographs, the Sunday papers have.
made the faces-even the warts on
the noses-of certain individuals
known far and wide. Just what-ifr
anything-the reading public gains,
from looking at these same faces over
and over every Sunday is one of the,
unsolved mysteries of the modern
world. Il
u4a .sat 81
The afflicted public may well con-
sole itself with the reflection that
every dog has it's day. The publicity
seekers-like everything else in the
world-rise, flourish and pass on to
that bourne from which even Lydia
E. Pinkham or the long whiskered in
ventor of Simmons Liver Regulator
ever returns.
Fifteen years ago newspapers and
magazines were filled with the pic
lures of World War generals, rulers
and admirals. Now, most of them are
dead and those who are not are rap
idly being forgotten. Fifteen years
from now the papers will be printing
strange new names and faces. Some
of these faces will belong to people
who have made new discoveries or ac-
complished something else of value
to humanity. Some of the other faces
will belong to persons who have dis
covered the age-old art of butting
into the limelight. For no matter
what momentous changes may take
place-what empires may rise or what
stock markets may fall-the hardy
publicity seeker will still endure so
long as human vanity remains.