The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-25
PARIS NEW SPAPERS.

An instructive article appears in the
Nineteenth Century on The subject of the
Paris newspaper press. Many Of its state
mentS will be news 70 American readers,
and not coming from NJ. Delille, they are
probably en- titled to credit.
Before considering them it may he well to
recall the differences between French jour-
nalsm ard journalism in the United States
and England. In the two ast-Damed coun-
tries the first purpose OF a newspaper is to
collect and publish the news; the expression
OF opinions thereon is a subordinate feature.
In France the first object of a newspaper is
to give currency TO opinions statements OF
fact are secondary affair. This difference
has existed from the birth Of journalism to
the present time. 1t was as observable in a
comparison of the old London Times and
the old Paris Debdts, which were estab-
lished within few years Of each other as
it is now; how closely our early news
papers followed the English lead may be
learned by the reader of the first volume
Of McMaster's history. The Anglo Saxon
has always expected his newspaper to fur
nish him with the news, but he has pro-
posed 20 make his own mind up on what he
reads. The Frenchman has always ex-
pected his newspaper to do his thinking
aud as opinion fuetuates and is often at
variance with reason, while facts are i'm
mutable and always remain facts, the
Augio-SaXOn newspaper, which is in a sense
history OF the times, has come TO possess
q higher intrinsic value than the French
newspaper, which is mere chronicle of
transient opinion.
The ifference may explain the singular
disrepute In which, according to II. De-
I'll,
by reason OF their yenalIty. He says, In a
word, that there are no honest journals In
Paris. Not only in such smart sheets as
the Figaro. the Gaulois and the Gil Bias is
every column for sale, from the money
article to the theatrical criticism, but such
staid aud respectable journals as the Debots
and the Temps are In the habit of selling
their opinions openly. and no secret is made
Of the matter. Puffs TURK In the most inno-
cent paragraphs; every department of the
paper is expected to be a source OF illegiti-
mate income. Every expression of opinion,
political, financial, industrial, commercial,
literary, theatrical and musical is assumed,
as matter of course, TO have been paid for
by some one. IL M. Delille tells the truth,
there is not single exception to the prac-
tice; in other words, there is not journal
in Paris which is honest and tries to tell It's
readers the truth.
BalZac had said as much of the journals
of his time. But in his day the profits of
puffery went to the subordinates Jules
Janin, Roqueplan, FoIentino and others
made fortunes by taking brides. Now, il
seems, the business office lays its hand on
this source OF gain. Partisan journalists
excuse The practice by drawing attention to
the small returns from the advertising col
umns, implying that in Paris newspaper
proprietors cannot afford to dispense with
the reward Of venality. II is a curious de.
Tense for curious practice. To US it seems
that there must be a class OF readers In
Paris who would like an honest newspaper
by way Of a change. Unprincipled Jour
nalists In this country, as in England, do
frequently take brides; but they generally
DO so secretly, aud stand ready to deny the
TACT when they are detected. There never
was but one newspaper proprietor in this
part OF the country who openly declared
that 1t was as legitimate for him to sell bis
editorial as his advertising columns.
The Paris practice has a peculiar effect
on journalism. as no invention however
useful. no discovery however beneficial. no
book however admirable, no financial
scheme however sound, no artist however
gifted, can obtain favorable notice from
the press without paying for il. Thus
Paris contains far more daily papers than
any other city in the world. and in order
that these papers shall be read the ablest
writer's OF the day are engaged at high sal