The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-19
JOURNALISM IN FRANCE.
French Newspapers are More Disa-
greeable Than the Rank
American Specimens.
The Reactionary Effect Finds Ex-
preston in Recent Sen
ate Bill.
M. Jules Simon Participates in the Public
Observation-Disclosures not Wanted
Now, but the News.

Observation-Disclosures not Wanted
Now, but the News.
The condition of the newspaper press is
exciting just as much attention in France
as il excites here, says the New York Even
ing Post The invasions of private life by
French journals are not nearly SO gross as
ours, nor are the assaults on public men SO
personal as those of some of our worst pa
pers, but they make more disagreeable
on the French public than our
sensational journals make on our public |
because Frenchmen are much more sensi-
tive than Americans to anything that can
be considered an 'insult." Epithets and
abuse which Americans receive with con-
tempt or indifference drive Frenchmen
nearly wild, and in seventy-five cases out of
q hundred lead to duels. The public expects
a man not to submit to them without fight
ing, and accordingly ho fights. But con-
is not pleasant, and for some time past
French conservatives have been busy devils
and intrusion which would &c speedy
enough and decisive enough to atone for
insults without "rencontre." What was
lUAlky u0CluOu upOu WAS Uuo UO6bOWak OIL
the police courts of summary jurisdiction
over large class of press offenses-that is,
their withdrawal from the jurisdiction of
juries. The bill, we believe, originated in
the senate and was distinctly a reactionary
product, and had never much chance Of
sion. and has been finally defeated.
In this discussion M. Jules Simon has
borne prominent part. He is an old states
man. as we'll as an old journalist, who has
made his mark both in French politics and
literature. He is now playing the role Of a
newspaper sage; that is, he writes every few
days what he calls '.Mon Petit Journal"
being short article, in the nature of either
comment or "Reminiscences or both, on any
topic of the day which happens to interest
him, in the columns of the Temps. What
he says in a recent number about the condi-
ton of French journalism is in substance
this: He supports Messrs. Paul Deschanel
and Camille Pelletan, who have been Op-
posing the bill, and defends their attitude
in the discussion, and says that if they
are not old enough to remember what
French journalism used to be when M.
Simon was young man, they must have
read of it or heard of it in their families.
Sixty years ago tho French journals repre-
sented opinions, or doctrines" as he calls
them. They were founded to champion
opinions, and for no other reason. Their
offices were centers at which all the forces
of political party converged. They had
traditions. They listened respectfully to
the older men. They obed leaders. They
cultivated solidarity. The Bohemian life
of which SO many tales were told was fol-
tonists. The political journalist had both
solidity and enthusiasm. He studied ques-
tions seriously. He was ready for one of
three things-controversy, battle or i'm
prisonment. 1t was not everybody who
could be journalist. No one became T.
s<~A L,, cA~ -
work lun coup d'eclat) or u long
apprenticeship. Journalists were severe on
each other. All transgressions of the laws
of honor received their natural punishment,
namely, dishonor. There was disciplinary
tribunal, which was never organized and
never met, but was always trying cases. Its
judgments were prompt and infallible. Peo-
pie used not to say at that time that the
press was the fourth estate, but they knew
it and saw it. 1t was for this kind of press
that Armand Carrel died.
The condition of French journalism since
then, M. Simon says, has been profoundly
changed, first, by the appearance of cheap
penny papers; secondly by the disappearance
of the subscription list, and the substitution
of the sales at the stands and over the
counter. Instead of 100000 or 10000
readers which the journals of that day had,
those of to-day have 100000. The new
public which reads the newspapers now
cares nothing about opinions or doctrinal
discussions. In the matter of opinions all
it asks for is a banner, and can get along,
in case of need, even without this. For its
daily journalistic food all it cares for
the gossip of the lobbies and the
theaters, personalities, defamation and
calumny. The pen has fallen from the
hands of the philosophers to be taken up
by newsmongers. Party politicians with
drew when the establishment Of news
paper, instead of being an effort in behalf
of an idea, becomes mere commercial
venture. Thepress has passed in succession
under these yokes-that of despotism
under the empire. that of the demagogues,
and now of the money power,
which has hooked the newspapers,
and uses them for its own purposes,
where are you, Carrel," he exclaims in
burst of bitterness, who used to defend
the editorial authority?' And you, Guillou-
tet, who used to defend the sanctity of do
nestle life?" Every day about ten Journals
are started, and one hundred journalists
appear on the scene. The writing talent is
not wanting-far from it; but there is nc
longer any question of thoughtfulness OF
self-sacrifce. Chateaubriand has been re-
placed by Timothy Trimm, and Timothy
Trimm by the anonymous and venomous
reporter.
Some of this talk we used to hear from
Horace Greeley in his day: the rest, we can
not help thinking, we should hear from hin
If he were alive now.