The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-12
A Rival to the Third Term Sensation.

The New York Herald did SO well with its
third term hoax that it is trying fresh exper-
iments upon the credulity of its readers.
Mondays edition contained thrilling nara
tive, six columns long, of carnage and devas-
tation wrought by the breaking out of the
wild beasts from the Geological Garden in
Central Park. 1t proved a prodigious sue
cess. 1t was the talk of the town. Thous-
auds of children were kept from school by it,
anxious mothers, whose little ones had been
sent out for an airing before their parents
had had time to read the paper, were driven
nearly frantic by it, and there was rushing,
scrambling and fainting amid the palaces Of
upper-tendon enough to satisfy the highest
ambition of the greatest ofAmerican journal
lists.
That so glaring an imposture should have
xviSiyed so many people is one of the things
one not 1ald be utterly unaccountable to any
average citizeE with the susceptibility OF the
The Herald unders humbugs and decisions.
oughly and profits by 1.-The weakness thor
canard, although it doubtleaensely. This
indignation of many parties whoVoked the
tressed and Inconvenience by it, will u dis
theless increase the fame and circulation o..
the great journal, that conjured the phantom
of C@sarism with such genius, that its con-
emporaries bowed down before it with
submissive obeisance.
1t may be urged that this sort of triAing is
not creditable to the dignity of the press, or
the intelligence of its patrons. That can
hardly be disputed. But the law of supply and
demand is just as applicable to newspapers as
to other com nodties, and the fact that tho
Herald has the largest circulation OF any full
priced daily in New York, is conclusive proof
that it meets the wants of the people. They
require sensation. They delight in being
startled. The calm discussion of practical
topics-of politics finance, business and the
like-makes paper too dull for the aver
age reader. H prefers more "spicy" matter
and dotes upoS personalities, abuse Of public
men and ever species of chit-chat and scan
dal Grieve over it as we may, the fact is
none the les patent. There may be, proba-
bly, is, a keNer appetite for such pabulum
in the Larger cities than elsewhere, but the
taste Seems to be growing rapidly in all di-
rections. md the Herald finds imitators, if
not rivas, among its enterprising neigh.
bors.
Practical Joking has long since been voted
disreptable among individuals, but editors
are privileged class and may indulge in it
with lnchallenged license. As specimen
of this kind Of fun, the chapter of horrors
which rhe Herald has served up for its read
ers With SO much power of Invention and
nicely OF detail Is unique and graphic. Be-
sides, it cannot be pirated upon. The copy
right is secure without any formalities. 1t is
sus generis as literary composition, and
furnishes fresh Illustration of the versatility
and originality of the brilliant staff of writers
engaged in dispensing intellectual rejection
to the metropolitan public. If the shade of
Baron Munchausen ever peers into the edi-
torial rooms of the New York Herald il
must look with envy upon the superior abili-
ty Of the modern story tellers9 who have so
completely eclipsed his highest flight of
fancy.