The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-25
Journalism in Europe.
Berlin Letter to Nee York Sun


Speaking Of journalism reminds me of the
pomp, circumstance and state Of the represen-
tatives Of the great London dailies-papers, by
the way, that are far inferior, both in news and
editorial columns, to a dozen journals | could
name in America. The regular Berlin CORE
spondent OF the London Times gets $4,000
year, and has an allowance for expenses. He is
supposed to be-and in measure really is-on
the inside as far as official matters are con-
cerned. But all the big English papers sent on
their crack war correspondents to do the
funeral. An Emperor's death ia the greatest
thing outside of great war that can happen
in Europe, from the newspaper point of view.
The war correspondents are all retained in the
interests of the English papers on contracts at
so much a year-say about 5000. They are
not expected to write a line from one years
end to the other unless war breaks
out, or some such great event as the Emperor s
death occurs Then they proceed to the scene
of action with an amount of soemnity that
beggars description. Most Of the war CORE
spondents stout and beefy gentlemen, VINO
bear their titles through the experience they
had with Lord WOlseiey i'll the last campaign,
when none of the correspondents was allowed
to get within miles of any action. The war cor
respondents had three or four secretaries apiece,
who did the work and submitted it to the grand
mogul at the end of each day He thought it
all over with the historical calmneSS OF the war
correspondent amid chaos and confusion, elimi-
mated all news, and sent it preceded by some
such remark as this:
Your correspondent learns the following at
late hour tonight from a State functionary OF
stupendous Importance, VINO holds the balance OF
nations in the hollow of his hand, but does not
care to have his name appear"
Or this
From the palace the information comes to
your correspondent through distinguished and
famous diplomat, who stands high in the coun-
ellis of the State, that affairs as follows
This done the great man goes in brain
weary but resOute way, to supper. The one
all-pervading, regnant, dominant, and rigorous
purpose of the British correspondents life is to
And foil tha ealf httkn
from knowing anything about it. was present
at the side of a famous correspondent, who had
kindly taken me under his wing here, when his
secretaries came in with the news after the
funeral. They had all told their tales and re-
ceived instructions, when the secretary who had
undertaken to do description Of the crowd
strolled in.
''Ah, Jonesl" said the chief, looking the late
conner over through his single glass and lighting
fresh cigar, 'rawther a big crowd, eh?''
Il should say So" said Jones; and such a
mucky day. rvegot everything"
what, fob instance"
"A little child was born in the slush and rain
in the great jam near the cathedral
What deviiish damp and cratic sort Of a
proceeding"
Shall write it?"
"Er-no"
Woman climbed up in tree in park, contin-
| ued Jones, reading from a voluminous note
book, named Schwartzgenfelder."
Name of woman or tree?N
"Of woman Stayed there all night SOS T.
absolutely to death, and fell down corpse as
parade passed. Shall write it,
Emo"
Corpse lay there for two hours in a crowd
unattended while people stared at funeral"
"Good God"
''Shall write itY
"Er-no."
"A man, name unknown, paid entire years
rent of SO Inter den Linden for window privi-
leges to-day 900 marks. Shall write it,"
"Er-no."'
| It went on this way for half an hour, and
| then the chief said thoughtfully:
''You might write a general paragraph, you
| know, Jones, about large mass people n all
that, leaving out details, and say that from in
side information received from an individually
high official source there must have been 800, 900
| people present TO see funeral"
but the regular figures of the Police De
partrnent place the number at nearly 700 COO
Hadn't | better make it that?"
"Er-no"
Then the war correspondent suggested a
snack of beer and the wing of a cold fowl. and
we went down stairs while the secretaries
ground out the conventional English dispatch
of the conventional len tn with the same old.
stale, and wearisome presentation of common
place observations, marked official" and I'm
side as usual. BIAEELY HALL.