, 1873-06-13

BuBs1D121N1 NEWSPAPERS. r
No doubt many American oitizons, boastful |
Of tho aupor1ority Of our institutions over those
Of Nil othor nations, road with foolinga Of pity |
and modification that tho prosent Republican |
Government Of Franco have opon1y avowod the |
policy Of aubaid1zlng tho pross On tho ono hand,
aud enppreHalng It on the othor. II. aambotta |
produced tho copy Of ministerial circular, H.
sued under tho authority Of Marshal MaoA1a-
hons Government, recommending tho employ |
mant Of anbsidtes to insure tho favor Of news-
paporn. Tho Minister Of tho Interior cano for
wara, rathor oagerly than othorwiBo to claim tho
credit Of this policy. Tho question resulted In
call for voto Of confidence, md the Govcrn-
mont was sustained In tho subsidizing policy
by $50 yoas agalnst 816 nays. II tho American
Congress woro in session, this action would
probably suggest several eloquent addresses On
the Il Palladium Of Liberty" in which .horo
would be grandiloquont eulogios Of THO froe and
independent press Of this country represented
by tho Washington. Chronicle, tho Washington
Republican, and other papers, including somo in
Chicago. Tho loyal American hoart would bc
arod with indignation that Government pro-
Tossing to BIO Republican shou1d deliberately do
vote tho uso Of public moneys to gain tho sup
port Of nowspapers. Thero would be general
protest among tho high-rninded politicians
against bringing such disgraco upon tho fair
name Of Republic. -.
Now there aro subsidies and subsidies. Tho
French plan Of purchasing the prcss, It appcars,
is to pay thom outright to openly avow 1t as a
part Of the Administration policy, and to &C.
count for tho funds logitimatoly. This French
practice is very different from the mannor in
which American nowspapcrs arc subsidized, 1t
Ia true, but NO arc not suro that It is not fairer
than tho American plan. It is frank announce
mont to tho Fronch people that tho Admins
tradon press ia In tho pay Of the Government,
and the French people may estimate ito informa-
ton and opinions On this basis. These things
arc dono otherwise in America The Admin
iatration has its newspaper sentinols ata-
toned at all important placea. It doala
out it's eubaidies in tho shape OF ad-
vertisements and political offices. Tho
money which, 1t costs to maintain thoao organs
and keep thom grinding eventually oomos out Of
the pockets Of tho people, and tho only difference
is, that 1t pasaos through intermediate grades in
etond Of being paid over directly. The offoct
Of the process s to deceive largo portion Of
tho American pooplo, and to mako dross ASSUME
tho Appearance Of tho truo motal. Tho sourcoa
from which tho Government advertising lows
aro numerous. There arc United States ndver-
tisoments, stato advertisements, county advor-
tisomonts, town advertisements, and municipal
advertisements. Tlon there fs corresponding
amount Of public printing to be dono Then
there orc public Offices to be distributed. There
is the party printing to bo done during tho CAM
paign- Thoro oro also private subscriptions taken
up boforo election All these aro carefully and
equitab1y distributed as q rules when they aro
| not, thero Is apt to bo trouble. Tho various
forms Of advertising aro moro protoxta, Of
courao for, If thoy wero legitimate announce
monts for tho information Of tho public, thoy
would be dealt out as business men parcel out
| their announcements and would nevor find
their way to the political org ans Tho Offices are
Hkowiso made useful In tho subsidizing buRiness
Administration papors, even in Chicago, nrc con-
trolled md edited by of1ico-holders.
Wo submit thas it is not becoming in Amor
ican citizens to hold up thor hands in horror at
tho French policy OF subsidizing tho Adminis-
tration press, because the American plan is moro
BurreptItioua and bottor calculated to deceive.
II anything, the French plan is the moro honor
!! ablo Of the two.