Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-05-16
PARIS NEWSPAPERS.
SIGNED EDITORIALS ARE COMMON
BUT NOT UNIVERSAL.

Foreign Affhlrs Treated with Entelligencs
and Abiiity-Local Columns Not What
They should Be-OHices-Prices Of Ad.
vertlsing-copying the News.
The editorial department Of the Paris
papers, which is their leading feature. is
often able and brilliant. The habit OF
signing editorial articles Is common. but
by no means universal Among the ex.
ceptions are the Temps. the Debats. and
La Paix. The Matin has an article daily
from one OF several writer's. among whom
are Jules Simon, Emanuel Arene, Ranc
and John Lemoinne. Each writer ex.
presses and Is responsible for his own
opinions only, and as they represent all
shades of politics except Socialism. what
the paper says one morning Is fatty con-
tradicted by its article of the following
day. What are called general articles"
by the American newspapers are almost
always signed by Paris writer's. They
may be literary. critical, or may cover a
wide variety of interesting topics. Among
the best contributions of this class are
those of Anatole de Ia France and Hughes
le Roux. written for the Temps.
Foreign affairs. so far as regards the
continent, are of late years treated with
intelligence and ability. The domestic
politics of the United States are still
poorly understood by the majority Of
French journalists. with the exception OF
a few who have crossed the ocean. AS to
the foreign continent In general it Is fairer
than that of the London newspapers,
which Is not paying 1t an extravagant
compliment. Probably not less than sixty
members OF the senate and chamber of
deputies are connected with the Paris
newspapers. principally as contributors.
This leads to what would DO considered In
other countries violations of parliamentary
privilege. or to occurrences that strike
foreigners as somewhat indelicate, Jour
nails not hesitating sometimes to publish
facts that should be kept secret. or to give
speeches Of their own writers in extenso
with fulsome compliment.
IN THE LOCAL COLUMNS.
The local columns Of Paris newspaper
are not what they should be or what their
readers would be glad to have them, for
want of xoom. The great city is a mine
of sensational material tragic, comic.
grave. gay. but always interesting II
properly treated AS Paris newspaper
is usually small four-page sheet printed
In coarse type on bad paper. it is difficult
to get more into it than the literary and
political matter that must in any event
appear, and mere resume of local events
If the foreign news Is of great Importance
local matter is crowded out. If single
local event is sensational all other local
matters, no matter how interesting in
themselves. must make way for IT, Re
porters of some papers sign their names
This practice sometimes causes curious
displays of egotism. the writer's forgetting
that which they have to narrate Is their
own personal experiences. The facts are
obscured by their efforts to obtain them,
their little deprivations. and the articles
of food that composed their breakfast
The self consciousness Of French
newspaper writer's is always notice
able. whether they sign their arti
cles or not. The editorial I'VE" often
appears in the editorial columns. 1t is
hard for q correspondent In a foreign
capital to give tho facts In q dispatch
without prefacing or interspersing them
with useless personal detail Aside from
these evidences Of imperfection and jour
nalistic juvenility, the local columns are
usually readable. and sometimes bright
and witty The Paris interviewer, who
is O recent institution already become
universal. Is. If possible, more unscrupu
lous and imaginative than his American
confrere.
A Paris newspaper Office Is not usually
an abode of luxury The France has
fine building. of which 1t uses but small
part itself. The Figaro Ii handsomely
installed In the Rue Druot. The Petit
Journal, the newspaper of the bonnes.
coachmen and garcons, has comfortable
quarters in the Rue Lafayette. Most of
the papers Of small circulation are in the
upper story of some large building, where
their business, editorial and composing
departments are crowded into a few
small, badly ventilated and poorly lighted
rooms.
TOO MANY NEWSPAPERS.
There are far too many newspapers IN
France for the number of readers. and
they cannot ell be rich The revolution
airy. socialistic and some Of the ultra-radi
cal newspapers are sold ct one sou. Most
Of the others are sold at two sous Some
are sold at three sous. with another sou
added when the size Is doubled, as In the
ca ase OF the Saturday edition of the Figaro
A SOU is sometimes added TO the Paris price
for purchasers in the departments The
newsboy cuts no great figure in Paris
Men, boys and women cry certain sheets
in the streets. but II one wants news
paper be has usually TO 60 to tho news
stands Prices Of advertising are high,
and Paris merchants do not care much
about the newspapers asa means Of max
ing their goods known The space occu
pied by legitimate advertising is small.
therefore the newspapers have to depend
for support on their circulation and on
subsidies paid for their influence. These
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