The Transgressors. Story of a Great Sin. A Political Novel of the Twentieth CenturyAdams, Francis A. (Francis Alexandre)
General
The Transgressors. Story of a Great Sin. A Political Novel of the Twentieth Century
Adams, Francis A. (Francis Alexandre)
Political fiction
A crisis in the history of the paper is being reached. The heads of
departments are all present, having been summoned by telegram or
telephone. They are ready to act. Yet the signal for action is delayed.
To run off the edition of a morning paper is a far different thing from
getting out an edition of an evening paper.
The morning newspaper must contain the "_news_" in its first edition if
it is to reach distant points; if it is even to reach the suburban
towns. In these towns, by far the largest percentage of the readers are
located. They will be anxious for the latest and most complete news. The
evening papers give hurried accounts of the events that are stirring the
country. For the full details the readers depend upon the morning
papers. The newspaper which fails to satisfy their demands will lose its
popularity.
So the editor-in-chief and the proprietor of the Javelin are in a
quandary.
"It is now 1.30," says the editor-in-chief, as he consults the clock.
"If we are to get out a paper we must start the presses." "What is the
leader?" inquires the proprietor anxiously.
"A general review of the casualties; the summary of the result of the
announcements of the sudden deaths of so many leading men. This is
followed by the story of the deaths of six Senators. The head runs
across the page. The head-line reads 'Death's Harvest, Thirty-Six!' The
banks tell of the sudden deaths that have come upon Senators, Judges,
Manufacturers, Railroad Magnates, and a score of multi-millionaires."
"We can't tell everything in a line, or in one edition," observes the
proprietor, "so I think it is safe to 'go to press.' Is there nothing of
importance left out?"
Before an answer can be given to this query the telegraph editor rushes
from his desk waving a slip of paper.
"Hold the press!" he exclaims. "Here's the biggest news yet. Attorney
General Bradley of the United States has been assassinated as he was
leaving his office.
"The man who killed him made no attempt to escape, but, waiting to see
that the three shots he had fired point-blank at the Attorney General
had done their work, he deliberately turned the pistol on himself. He
placed it at his right temple and fired, dropping dead in his tracks."
"Wait a minute; wait!" cries the editor-in-chief. "Don't say another
word."
Turning to the night editor he says, "It will be necessary to change the
first page. A new head will have to be run, and the leading story will
have to tell of the murder of the Attorney General. This news is
national. I think I had better go to the press room and do this work
myself. The press will start in twenty minutes, if you give me the word
'Go ahead!'"
"Go ahead," is the laconic reply.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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