Sometimes a short quotation is used at the beginning of the lead very much as a title is used in a speech report; thus:
NEW YORK, June 1.—"A business proposition which should have been put in effect nearly twenty years ago," was John Wanamaker's comment today on the adoption of 2-cent letter postage between the United States and Great Britain and Ireland.—Milwaukee Free Press.
If the quotation at the beginning consists of only one sentence the name of the speaker may be run into the same paragraph; thus:
"Judge McPherson's recent decision declaring Missouri's 2-cent fare confiscatory is an indication that vested interests are entitled to some protection and that legislatures must not go too far in regulating them," said Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific road, on Sunday.—Milwaukee Sentinel.
However if the quotation at the beginning contains more than one sentence it is best to paragraph the quotation separately and leave the name of the speaker until the second paragraph; thus:
"The American Federation of Labor will enter the national campaign by seeking to place labor candidates on the tickets of the old parties. An independent labor party is eventually contemplated. But there is not time to get results in that way in the next national campaign."
So said H. C. Raasch, national president of the tile-layers, upon his return yesterday, etc.—Milwaukee Free Press.
4. Human Interest Beginning.—This is a designation devised to cover a multitude of beginnings. A human interest interview may begin with a quotation, a summary, a name, or an action. The aim is necessarily toward unconventionality and the form of the lead is left to the originality of the reporter. A few examples may illustrate what is meant by the human interest beginning:
"There goes another string. Drat those strings!" Only Joseph Caluder didn't say "Drat."
"Say, do you know that I have spent pretty nearly $1,000 for strings for that violin? Well, it's a fact. Listen." Etc.—Milwaukee Sentinel.