CONNECTING BRIDGE.
A man of no little consequence in most daily papers is the commercial editor. He needs discretion, shrewdness, sound judgment, and above all to possess the highest sense of honor and responsibility. In these days when fortunes are made and lost in an hour, when farmers consult the newspapers as to the time to sell, and business is conducted at a feverish heat, it is necessary that all important commercial transactions be promptly and correctly reported in the daily papers. To do this properly is a matter of great difficulty. "Bulls" and "bears" are not over-scrupulous in playing a joke on a reporter sometimes, when they have an end in view, and unless the commercial editor of a paper is well up to his work he and his constituents will be often lead astray. He is supposed to be well versed in every topic of the commercial world, in stocks and produce, railroads, steamboats, dry-goods, hardware, and everything whereby men make gain.
The exchange editor of a newspaper is a man with an eye which just covers a page of print, no matter what the size. Through his hands pass all the newspapers received at the office, except, perhaps, those on special subjects, which may go to the different editors. He is usually armed with a huge pair of shears, and as he rapidly opens one paper after another, falling on something here and there of interest or probable interest, it is cut out for revision and perhaps republication. He is the "paste and scissors" editor so much talked and read about, but has no little responsibility in making a paper readable and "newsy." From the force of education or habit he knows exactly where to look for the kind of information he requires, and a single rapid glance over a page tells him at once if there is anything there for him. He is naturally well-informed in all matters interesting the country outside the city he is in, and thus becomes an authority on local politics.
The ubiquitous members of a daily newspaper staff are the city reporters. The education of habit can hardly go further than is shown in their lives. Unconsciously they are drawn to where some event is happening, or about to happen, and if the reporters are on the qui vive, but little need escape them. Gathering information is as much a matter of habit as the duties of the table. A reporter cannot stray along the street without finding something to make a note of, and the note is made in his mind if not in his book.
WAITING FOR THE EDITOR.
His perseverance is unmeasurable, his tact perfect, his courage undoubted, and his audacity—perhaps the least said of this the better! But it must be of a very peculiar nature—there must be no swagger about it. A reporter should not be what is best described by the vulgar term "cheeky." Such a one will never succeed. He must rather have a quiet determination which will overcome all obstacles, together with a modest demeanor and sufficient self-confidence "not to stand any nonsense;" be fluent of speech and speak with authority when he has anything to say; have a perfect knowledge of men and things of interest, and be an easy, rapid and fluent writer. It may be said that such a man would be a paragon of excellencies. However this may be, a first-class reporter is not often met, and seldom remains a reporter very long, except under specially favorable circumstances, for the opportunities to pursue other occupations, if he be a man of good character, are not few. But once a reporter, the reporting spirit never leaves him. The occupation is so full of variety and interest, that the mind constantly reverts to it. He has plenty of drudgery also. Sitting up till midnight or daylight to make a good resume of some dry speech is not pleasant work; digesting long and complicated reports, and many other duties, are mere drudgery, and form no small fraction of his duties. To these, however, are added the excitement belonging to the work of a detective who is employed in searching out hidden things; that of a lawyer examining and cross-examining a witness in order to arrive at the truth; of a judge weighing the evidence from all sides to come to something like a satisfactory decision on troublesome questions. It may be thought that this is an ideal view of a reporter, and that the reality is never met with in real life. But the ideal has often been reached, and during the comparatively short life of the Witness there have been connected with it in this and other capacities gentlemen whose names rank with the highest in commercial and professional life. The ranks of the press in England, France, and the United States, as well as Canada, are constantly being infringed on to fill those of legislators, business men and authors. There is one thing connected with reporting which always has had a tendency to lower it in the public estimation. It has been considered a means of providing men of ability, but lax in morals and irregular in habits, a means of obtaining a precarious livelihood. This has made the dangers to be met with in this course of life very great, because of the associations surrounding those engaged in it, and at one time it was supposed to be almost impossible to be a reporter and a well-living man. But the days of "Bohemianism" have passed in Canada, and for years there has but very seldom been a reporter on the Witness who was not at the same time a total abstainer from all that intoxicates.
We might mention very many interesting instances, showing under what difficulties information is sometimes obtained, how "secret" meetings are reported in full, and how but very little that reporters want to know is hid, but space will not permit.