is
a mere matter of editing and does not trouble the reporter. Very few
speeches receive so much space. The others must be condensed and put in
shape for printing.

After all, the usual way to get a speech is to go to the public delivery
of the speech and bring back a report of it. At first sight this is a
difficult task and green reporters come back with a very poor resume.
However, a word or two of advice from the editor or some bitter
experience eases the way. Some advice may be given here to prepare the
would-be reporter beforehand.

Some reporters who know shorthand prefer to make a stenographic report
of the entire speech and rearrange and condense it in the office. This
method is advisable only in the case of speeches of the greatest
importance; it is too laborious for ordinary purposes, since the account
includes at most only a part of the speech. The best way, doubtless, to
get a speech is to take notes on it. And yet this must be done properly
or there is a danger of misinterpretation of statements or of undue
emphasis upon any single part of the speech. The report of a speech
should be as well balanced and logical as the speech itself, differing
from the original only in length and the omission of details. The speech
report must be accurate and truthful or the speaker may appear at the
office in a day or two with blood in his eye. A few rules may be
suggested as an aid to accuracy and truthfulness.

In the first place, do not try to get all the speech; do not try to get
more than a small part of it--the important part. There are two ways of
doing this. If the speech is well arranged and orderly it is easy to
tell when the speaker has finished one sub-division and is beginning
another. Each division and subdivision will naturally contain a topic
sentence. Watch for the topic sentences and get them down with the
briefest necessary explanation to make them clear. Political speeches or
impromptu talks are, on the other hand, not always so logically
arranged. Sometimes it is possible to get the topic sentences, but more
often it is not. Then watch for the interesting or striking statements.
You will be aided in this by the audience about you. Whenever the
speaker says anything unusually striking or of more than ordinary
interest the audience will show it by signs of assent or dissent. Watch
for these signs, even for applause--and take down the statement that was
the cause. If the statement interested the origin