Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-30
MUSCOVITE JOURNALISM.
The DespOtic Russian Police rs Mana
gers of Russian Newspapers.

From the Manchester Examiner.
That Russian newspapers should consist of a
single sheet of four pages and resemble in ar
rangement the smaller of the Paris journals
may or may not be one OF the results of the
French culture introduced by Peter the Great
and his successors. The internal condition of
Russian journalism is clearly traceable to its
origin, The censorial function cannot be ac-
tive. as it has been during the last five years.
without newspapers feeling the strain. If the
penalties imposed for free speaking were less
heavy it might not be difficult to tide journal
over the period of government dis
pleasure. Even with old established news
papers the task is by no means a
light one Advertisements are always few in
Russia and the cost Of production high enough
to prevent any reduction In the sale to news
agents. What is sometimes called back
bone" has alone saved the GOlOs. while younger
| organs-tO the extent of nearly dozen during
the past twelve months-have everywhere dis
| appeared, either borne down in the struggle
with the government or relinquishng it before
hand as hopeless. There are three kinds of
penalties provided for by the press laws Of this
country. The milder punishment following. of
course, upon warning) is the prohibition of
advertisements. The newspaper is then, there
fore. precisely what its name implies. A severer
Notwithstanding to the time of the year ana
the income from this sOurce-iS generally the
agents shops; the reduction of the circua-
tiOn in fact. to the number of persons who
receive the newspaper through the post as
subscribers. Should this measure not be con-
sdered adequate the authorities have two
other penalties open to them-the Temporary
suspension of the journal for longer or shorter
period of time, or its absolute suppression alto
gether 1t is true that in the case of two of
these penalties some slight mitigation of effect
is possible. 1t is to the interest of newspaper
nrnn of TO mn f,y. IL
ward off the result of penalty for their adver-
tisers and subscribers. If, therefore, the GOlOs
is suspended for six months an arrangement is
made whereby its subscribers receive the NouOe
Trenlgn throughout that period, instead ofbeing
deprived of newspaper reading or compelled to
open a new subscription A similar arrange
ment is made where the prohibition only extends
to the Observation-Disclosures is to say, one jour-
nal undertakes to carry out the uncOmpeted
contracts of the other.
But even where arrangements of this kind are
made the penalty of prohibition falls heavily on
the offending newspaper. The loss of the street
sale is serious in ITSELF The disappearance of a
journal from the bundles of papers which the
newsmen hold out at the street corners to
passers-by, and the cries Of forbidden" that
greet you should you venture to ask for it. are
generally the first ntimatiOn you receive that it
has fallen under the displeasure of the press
censor. And if you take up the Messenger
Official, you find the prohibition in black and
the Minister OF the Interior dated the. COM
formally with the conclusion Of the council
charged with the direction of the press. the sale
Ofthe Journal in the public thoroughfares is
prohibited from the above date" Not the least
interesting circumstance in connection with
decree Of this kind is the completeness and
almost magic-like rapidity with which it is
carried into effect. In England it would scarcely
be possible to permit supply to subscribers
and at the same time to interdict the sale in the
street. The police would hardly pledge them
selves to control the movements OF the thou
sands of irresponsible and enterprsing newsboys
who make their living in the cities and large
towns Here. also, similar effect might be
predicted. But here the whole machinery of
newspaper circulation is virtually under the
control of the police: Boys do not sell news
papers in Bussia. The newsmen who take their
places here belong to the city guilds and are
regularly licensed. The police control the guilds,
ard the guilds are responsible for the conduct
of their individual members. The sale of
newspaper in the street once prohibited there
fore, there is no escape from the decree; the
newsman would as soon think of committing
murder as of placing himself in opposition to
decision CT the press council. The game would
not be worth the candle.