Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-24
The French Newspapers as Read by
Our Ex-Minister to France.
LIKES THEIR LITERARY STYLE.
The European Disposition to Enjoy Life
Reflected in Its Press
PEOPLE READ MORE NOW THAN EVER
rcoRREsPovDEScr OF THE DISPATCH, :,

france, anu VINO Will now leaYe ulplomatlc
life to resume the editorship OF the New
York Tribune 1t is now 36 years since Mr..
Reid began his newspaper career as the
editor of the Xenia Nesrs and it is 80 years
since he began to be famous as the war cor
respondent OF the Cincinnati Gazette. met
Mr.. Reid just after his return from France
and had an interesting chat with him in his
room at the Normandy Hotel about the
newspapers ano newspaper men of France.
He is a pleasant talker and in the half
hours conversation which had with him
he gave me some interesting facts about
the great journals of Paris
'There is" said he, considerable differ
ence between our newspapers and those of
Paris. The French newspapers pay moro
attention to form, while we pay more at
tention to news The news is everything
in the American newspaper, and the style
is secondary consideration. We devote
columns to certain classes Of news that
would not get lines in French journal.
Take, for instance, the matter of some
minor Improvement in city where the
paper is published. Such thing might be
worth column in America, while it might
not receive five lines in Paris.
Have No Craze for Foreign Newh
1.-THE French do not care so much for
foreign news as we do, and they are I,think,
more interested in literature, art and the
drama than we are. These things form an
important part of their daily journals and
the articles about them are so well written
that it is an intellectual pleasure to read
them. The leading articles are furnished
by some Of the most noted writers of Paris,
and the newspaper proprietors and contrib
utors are men of wide influence. A great
many of the leading men of France either
have been or are now connected with the
newspapers Some of the most famous
statesmen Of the country write regularly
for certain journals, and the standing OF the
better class of writers is very high"
1.-THE President Of the Syndicate Of tho
Paris Press is Monsieur Hebrard, who is the
editor of LIE Temps, the great evening paper
and perhaps what the French themselves
would call the "leading serious journal" of
Paris. He is also a noted and able Senator
and his paper, while not strictly speaking
an organ Of the Government, has the closest
relations to it. and is apt to have semi-oficial
news; and on account of its information,
trustworthiness and ability, is one of the
papers you must read.
Keeps Day Ahead Of the People.
'Then all the world reads the Figaro,"
continued Mr.. Reid. cts editor, Monsieur
Francis Maynard, is a man of extraordinary
good sense, and he has the faculty in sudden
emergencies of saying to-day just what
everybody will be thinking tomorrow. He
rarely writes an article over half column
long, but there is no editorial writer in
France who is more regularly or more
eagerly read. His paper is great fnan-
tributors many of the most brilliant men Of
letters Sin France. The Petit Journal is the
most widely circulated paper, not merely
in France, but in the world. 1t has bona
fde daily circulation of over !, 900, 600
copies. It is most respectable and trust
worthy, condenses its news absolutely and
arranges it Systematically and is altogether
a very satisfactory paper to read. Its in
fuence is always on the side of law, order
and good morals, and it is never likely to
be very partisan.
newspapers?"
"Many of them are or have been con-
nected with the newspapers, was the reply.
As have already mentioned, Mr.. Hebrard
is a Senator. One ofhis daily contributors
is one of the most distinguished Frenchmen
now living, Monsieur Jules Simon, former
Cabinet Minister, and now Senator.
The Column Jules simon Writes.
''Monsieur Jules Simon writes charm
ing little article almost every day under the
general heading Non Petit Journal and
that is one of the things which can never be
skipped. No matter how pressing the work
in the Senate, or how keen his interest in
his own special bills he almost always finds
time to furnish this article. Sometimes it
touches keen political disputes; at other
times it is an estimate of some famous au-
thor, or a reminiscence of the politics of
more stormy period, but 1t is always ex-
quisitely worded. In fact the style is per-
feet. Monsieur Simon is o member of the
Academy.
"It was considered great piece of good
fortune when the Government persuaded
him to head the commission sent by France
to the Labor Conference called by the Ger
man Emperor in Berlin, where he was
recognized as easily the leading man of the
whole conference, and where he made pro-
found impression upon the Emperor. An
other Senator and member of the Academy
also, John Lemoinne, has also been one of
the most famous leader writers of France,
principally on the Journal des Debdts. His
health has not been good of late years, and
uc Is uOL now WIlLluy 81
All Seem to BE Public Mon.
''The first Minister of Foreign Affairs with
whom was brought in contact was Mr..
Spuller. He had been for years the bosom
friend of Gambetta, and the editor in chief
of Gambetta's IS paper, the Republiq1e Ffancaise.
He is now in the Chamber of Deputies and
was until recently one Of its Vice Presi-
dents. He retired from the Cabinet at the
do,rpfo11 of Tira rd'a Ministry
'The present editor and proprietor of the
Francaiss is Monsieur Joseph
also Deputy and very able
member of the Moderate Republican group.
who constitute the strongest element of the
support. He is an excellent
writer and an admirable speaker.
'There is nobody in the Chamber of
Deputies whom people are more eager to |
hear than Monsieur Paul de Cassagnac. He |
is the owner and editor of the great I'M
perialist organ L'A1aorits, and he writes in |
It constantly. On the other hand, th1 Great |
eader of the Radicals ip the Chamber OF |
Deputies is Monsieur George Clemenceau.
He is the political director of La Justice,
which he also owns. Dozens of others might
De mentioned. Newspaper men in Paris
AXE as naturally to public life as duck
loes to water"
The Frenchman Enjoys Life.
elbow about business matters in the
French newspapers" asked. "Do they
receive much attention."
Business is by no means so prominent in
France either in the papers or in the daily
life of the people as it is with us, replied
Mr.. Reid. 'The French are as shrewd in
business as we are, and they are as fond of
money and money-making, but they model
heir lives on different plan, and what
,eems tn me to he a more sensible plan than
,urs. The American devotes himself al
most body and soul to his business until he
S IS or 60, and ne then expects to spend the