The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-06
THE REPTILE FUND.-
SECRET SERVICE FUNDS At PRINCE
BIsMARcK's DISPOSAL.

Methods by Which the Iron ChsnceIlo
Controls the German i'ress--CollectioI
OF Personal lnformation-.Woe whicl
Betide IN Unfortunate journal.
The reptile fund-so called because o
Prince Bismarck's own phrase-cousists o
the contiscated fortune of the king OF Han
over, together with an unknown grant from
the war indemnity. Speaking OF the at
tacks made upon the government b,
the press, the chancellor exclaimed OF
memorable occasion that as his adj
ministration was 50 exposed to nalig
uant misrepresentation at the hands OF IT.
adversaries, he did not think it tolerable thai
be should be left unarmed against SO power
full and so INSCRIPTIONS foe 81 must have
MEANS" he said, with which to hunt thost
reptiles to their holes and destroy them
there Hence the so called reptile fund
which is simply aln indefinite amount OF
secret service money at the disposal oil
Prince Bismarck for controlling the press.
With its aid he is said to have organized a
news service for the benefit Of the German
| government. the like Of which exists no
| where outside OF tho pages OF the French
novels which describe the spy system OF
Fouche. At its head stands Herr Holstein,
| the anne damnee Of Prince Bismarck, who
| has at his command disciplined host Of con
fdential reporters, who enable him TO follow
unseen the movements Of all his adversares
| The great chancellor never neglects any foe
no matter bow Insignificant.
At the chancelery of the secret intell
H,lo faiv
are kept the dossiers of every man or woman
whom from time to time it thinks necessary
to Prince Bismarck to watch with view to
Interior developments The minuteness of
the information thus stored up for future
use is very extraordinary, and suggests
many uncomfortable reflections friend
OF mine resident in Germany once had an
opportunity of seeing his own dossier There
in he found set down all particulars of him
self and his family and his relations. A list
was given OF all the people whom he was in
the habit OF receiving, and detailed report
Of all the correspondents to whom he was in
habit Of writing. To this man, it was written,
he sends letters every week, to the other
every day, to third he writes sometimes
twice week, and then ceases to write for a
week or month.
But tho possession Of all indefinite amount
Of secret service money for purposes Of cor
ruption, and the accumulation from all the
unseen channels Of ubiquitous secret police of
vast reservoir of information for use if re
quired, are by no means the only instruments
by which Prince Bismarck keeps his press in
good order. How is it doner exclaimed a
witty victim OF the chancellor's surveillance
1T is very simple. Some fine day all the
editors Of Berlin are summoned to the Office
OF the oracle They are told that the govern
ment is in possession OF such and such an
important piece of information which is com
municated to them, not for publication, but
in confidence, in order that when the oppor |
tune moment arrives they may Ike well in |
formed. A nod is Us good us u wink to a |
blind horse, and before very long one or other |
Of the editors discovers in some mysterious
way that the time has arrived when the cat |
must be let out of the bag He lets it out &C
cordingly, and all his brethren follow suit
and the news, true or false, in launched in
due FORM
but what" | asked, IF an editor refuses
10 take tho hint and obstinately abstans
from circulating the official communiquef'
Then" was the reply, lit does not go well
I'll .i..v exceptional newspaper MIsrort.
unes always attend the journal which is fool
hardly enough to ignore hint from above"
what kind OF misfortunesT ''Oh, all kinds
OF misfortune. Dormant lawsuits mysteri
ously reappear; Official advertisements are
privileges Of sale or of display,
which depend upon the good will of the ad
are suspended But perhaps
the most efficient allies of the chancellor and
his myrmldons are the vendors of quack
tor the cure Of uniDentionable dis. |
eases" How, in the name Of wonder, can
that beF st is very simple. In the father.
land the government charges itself with
watchful solicitude for the morals OF its sub
ects. But as even Homer sometimes mods.
70 the most vigilant administrations some
lines fail to discover that the columns of
herman newspapers are detled by the inser-
ion of advertisements Of immoral pills or by
he address of unclean doctors. When, how.
yer, any newspaper continuously opposes
tself to the will of the authorities, the Gus !
odian Of public morals puts on his spectacles,
nd WOO betide the unfortunate journal if in S
he obscurest corner of his badly printed c
age there should be discovered lurking an
Illusion to the Objectionable pill or the dis {
equitable physician. The administration is t
own upon him at once, and punishment is G
capped on punishment until the editor con T
ents to dance to the piping Of power Then |
he custodian Of public morals once more Il
umbers and sleeps, and the quack adver q
ses his pills in peace"
Add to. this that press prosecutions for press r
lenses are as plentiful as blackberries, that p
htors are sent to Jail as felons for what q
ould he regarded in England as perfectly "
criticism upon the chancellor, that
alf the cities in Germany are under a state a
siege, and you can form some idea Of the e
cilities which Prince Bismarck possesses q
" manipulating the journals of tue father u
Mall Gazette "A