Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-01-11

wherein xhsy Diner from those Printsd
in America.
Ere No. c.f.kr.

~ AnhCc dtc th1 very uucktut bnlnBs. a
newspaper in France Is totally unlike a
newspaper in America. They are published
with different aims in view, they are built
on different plans. Although they be-
lclg to the same family of letters,
they are very distant relatives. In fact, one
might say there can be no comparison be-
tween the two, since . newspaper In the
American sense Of the word can hardly be
found in France. An American who is &C
customed to his daily dose of four great
pages of printers ink, added to the Devil
dering mess served up 10 him on a Sunday
morning in the shape Of sixteen or even
twenty-iour pages, would hardly be satisfied
with the neat little sheets called newspapers
n France.
And yet what does one read Of all this?
The business man as he goes to his Office or
sore IN the morning, opens Directly to the
stock reports, glances at them, looks to see
who ION the street has failed, and then, if
he has time, tries to make something out of
the padded kilograms. That is all. The
rest Of the paper is made up of gigantic
advertisements, lengthy reports Of all acct
dents and crimes, miserable personal
gossip, interviews of two columns
with persons known or unknown,
and editorials often of a stupid sort
written by subs to fill up space. The
growing youth of the land are the only ones
who read the paper through, much to their
own harm, because they think by this to
keep alive with the times and become wise.
The ladies-"God bless 'em"-are known
to be the only ones who delight in the two
columns of exciting crime, and they also
read the accounts ofprivste receptions writ.
ten by poor hacks about the white satin on
demitrain with panier; corsage cut un peu
decollecte, though care with a barbe Of
Spanish lace, creme, thrown over the should
ers in a negligee manner, etc, which Mrs.
Smith wore.
The French newspaper does not aim at
greatness, or rather bigness, of this kind. A
Journal there seems more like a pleasant
every morning chat which a paper has with
It's readers, e~udeavoring to give them in as
pleasant and brief way as possible the
really important news of the day, and at
the same time have a bit of talk on what,
| ever is happening in art, music and litera-
ture. The main articles, or wha! we call
editorials, are written by well known
writer's and critics, who nominally belong
TO the staff, and are all signed, which
makes it seem all the more familiar
and personal As to the over.
whelming mass of worthless small news
which foods our papers, they have none Of
it. They do not, and they know their read
ers do not, care 10 know that Nine. Chose,
away OF IN the little town q Point Aye1,
Brittany, who was out riding the day before,
fell from the carriage and s~praiael her
ankle. Or that while soEzaltaiian Brigitta
while lighting the fire that morning in
Rome, used kerosene as usual, and set hre
to the house, IS usual. 1t may be well
enough to put such items into the pro
vincial or village paper where the even,
happens, but what do the general public
care aboutit?
Imay be able to illustrate the diferencel
have spoken Of more forci5ly By simply de.
scribing some Paris newspaper as it appears
daily. Take, for example, lie Figaro, which
is one OF the Oldest. 1t is also one Of the
argest, being a iour-page %journa', the size
or page being a little larger than that Of
Harper's Weekly. On the front page first
comes the editorial article-usually there
is only n This is in the form Of a regu-
lar article withdrawing and deals in a some
what lengthy manner with the interesting
topic of the hour, whether it be in
politics, religion, art or science.
Then follows what are termed Echoes
of Paris" which are 5riet and pointed notes
OF what is going on socially in the city. The
rest of the page is devoted to any articles
about events which would interest the pub
lie, tod in q familiar, though brief manner.
said the rest Of the page. | meaut tht
upper part Of the pag:, tor The lover qlEr
ter is given mp 10 one CHAPTER per iS3l'
from some novel written by a well-knogn
author. This is called the teuilletol II
the lower quarter Of the last collna are
placed, in the abbreviated tom in which
they were received, the ca5legramS No
ureat headlines, nor are the dispatches
padded out TO double and treble their size
and vet one knows their contents fully a
we'll.
The second page is devoted to reporIs
from the Senate and ChamD IF. whst c0ntem-
poraries are saying. and political matter
generally. The third page 70 the items o.
Paris and French news generally, critiqIes
on theaters and plays, and a second fedIlie
ON. The fourth aud last page, announce
ments for the days pleasures and public
meetings, a few advertisement-a very few
and compact in form-and condensed stock
and monetary reports.
This in a brief manner describes the
whole paper. Haunting headlines are
never Used, and important articles may
commence in the middle or lower part OF
The column as well a. at the top. One has
everything-art, music, literary news and
p~oliics, and well written, too, for o jour
nalist is a recognized member of the liter.
ary eoterie in Paris. Craving the pardon
OF American journalists, | would say that
newspaper writing in France Is a protes-
sion; here it is generally a trade.
There are one or two curious things con-
nected with the French newspapers which
are worth mentioning. The articles are
generally signed in the authors handwrlt-
ing, that is to say, by Autograph. The
Government still reserves the right to CEN
sure, and every man is responsible for what
he writes. There is now much more free
uOm OF tne press lhau IHeiS "S,
custom remains. Besides this the whole
paper is signed on the last page by
the gerant or managing editor. And
four or FIVE copies are sent every morning,
signed in ink, to the various Government
departments. The style throughout, whether
in the articles or in the news notes, is very
chatty and familiar. One always feels a
strong personality in every part OF the
paper. Even the news columns have a dis
t1nct character and style about them.
Finally. all evening papers are dated for
the following morning. The daily which
has the largest circulation in France Is the
Prris Petit journal, a very small l-cent
sheet.
n Offerings OF "Life."
The Tribune states that the frost king