Year: 1876

Thirty years ago, says the Washing
ton EUening Star, instead of the corps
of Representatives of the press now es-
tablished in Washington, the best news
papers of the land were content to await
the slow process of mails Ono fast ones
them to bring them the news from this
political center. What Congress did
Monday usually reached them Friday.
Their writings were rs ponderOus as
their notions. They had more idea of
didactic flourish than of the value OF
current events. In those days of Wash
ington letter-writers, had President
been assassinated, the fact would have
been found only in the moral which their
labOred efforts would have revealed.
They were not men of facts, and only
alluded to them for the purpose of bas-
ing a text for studied effort and iihe
writing As the world moved on they
were pushed to the wall. The active
American mind had more TO do than
read newspaper sermons.


When the telegraph was perfected
the old cOvies gave way to what they
then deemed the upstairs. Dignity and
essays succumbed to what is now called
American cheek and enterprise.


The mode of getting news and the
handling of it is no secret. Every news
gatherer has channels of information
which belong to him pretty exclusively.
By this is meant that one may enjoy
facilities of a social nature which may
pour the article into his lap. The great
point is first to get the crude facts. 1t
is the talent of the writer which adds
the spice and the sauce. Those who
have merely the 'nose for news" with
out the faculty of working it up, must
not expect to reach the highest round
of the professional ladder.


Now the main spring for all news is
in the executive departments. In the
seven grand divisions which the Con-
stitution created. In each of them too,
is found twenty diverging channels
Some of course have depth; others are
shallow, but like all small streams the
latter ut times catch some of the drift,
and q wrecker must watch them all.


In the Treasury Department the fOun-
tain head is the Secretary. To one who
has never applied the newspaper pump
to Mr.. Bristow, or who puts it in opera
ton for the first time, the conclusion
would be jumped at that he is a rather
dry fountain. Well, he is. There is no
trouble to get at him; that is, to get
into his presence. But to draw from
him some of the troubles which wear
upon him requires tact and ingenuity


lie treats all who wait upon him cordi-
al 10 hut har
few opinions or suggestions to volun-
teer. Go to him on some definite sub
ject, ask him about it, and he will give
such information as is consistent with
his sense of duty and responsibility
Ask him the general question if she has
any news" and his answer is Il shake
of the head. Carrying as he does in his
head all the grand batch of whisky in
formation (not whisky what fund he
has in store if one could only check it
out. There is only one way to get at
Mr.. Bristow If one is in doubt rs to
the truth Of some statement which he
has caught in the other rivulets, put it
to him as a fact, and if it is not SO his
eyes will betray him. Likewise if it is.
He speaks more with his eyes than with
his mouth.


Mr.. Conant, one of the Assistant Sec
retaries, is always willing to give to the
press the information which comes I'M
der his observation. He deals in the
public debt statement and makes the
calls for the redemption of bonds.


John Burnham, the other assistant, is
quite cordial in his welcome to all call
ers. His class of information is the in
depreciation of customs laws and mat
ters affecting the tariff. The New York
Bulletin and J0TRaI Of Commerce repre-
sentatives find in his office an Elysium;
but to newspapers that don't care about
printing the changes of duties on cod
fish balls, Holsters in tin overcoats, and
the ad valorem on jute butts, cows
hair, or argols, any more than printing
often the Sermon on the Mount, find in
that quarter but little to amuse OF in
struct the general reader.


The officer in charge of the customs
division would rather see book agent
or a wildcat come into his Office than
newspaper man. Some of the "bOys"
call on him every day, more for the
purpose of letting him know they are
around than with any view of being
benefited by the call, either socially or
intellectually. All the information from
his division is given out through the
chief clerks office.


Mr.. Pratt, the Commissioner Of In
ternal Revenue, is a favOrite with news
paper men. He can state fact with
terseness, and has head as clear as a
bell.


John Jay Knox, the Comptroller of
the Currency, rarely has an item. He
has a remarkable facility also of for
getting when he has good thing on
hand.


The iollieSt and best-liked man by the
guild in the Treasury Department is
Treasurer New. His heart is as big as
his vaults. He has a genuine Western
bonhomie, which makes a visitor feel at
home the minute the door closes one in
his office. He can tell good story, en-
Joys one with a keen relish, and is not
chary with his information when he has
any.


But the worst to do business with is
Architect Potter. He may be all right
when you get at him, but it Is the get
ting at him where the rub comes in;
one must 90 through round of visiting
cards, and the etiquette of the thing is
too tedious to create a desire for fire.
quent calls. Once in his presence, how
ever, barring a good deal of dignity on
his part, he usually gives the informa-
ton sought lOr.


In the way of statistics, Professor
Young can overwhelm an ordinary mind
in less time than any other quantity in
the Treasury Department. He has
more statistics in him to the square inch
than has the multiplication table or
crop report ten times the magnitude.
What he can't hold in the way of sta
tistics he hands over to his assistant,
Professor Elliott, who can not only re-
tain out of the largesse what Young
don't want, but in addition can find
time to write Christman stories on the
-" "Earth's Radius VectOr."


In the Department of Justice the only
officer usually called upon is the Attor-
ney-General. There is no difficulty in
seeing him. If dozen visitors are in
his Office when one calls he will direct
that he be at once shown in. He rather
exerts himself to give information than