The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-03-31

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up daily paper and finds everything il
it but the news, so that last week issue
is as good reading as to-day's.
The reason for having so many news
papers is because every public man re-
quires an organ in order to get his views
before the public. The editors are ordi.
narily politicians who devote their entire
time to the discussion of political ques-
tions, and expect the faction to which
they belong to furnish them the means OF
living while so employed. Each paper
has director, who holds the relation OF
editor in chief; while sub-editor is man
of-all -work, edits copy, looks after the
news, reads proof, and stays around the
place to keep the printers busy. There is
never a staff of editors or reporters, as in
the U. S., and seldom more than two men
in the office; in fact there is no such thing
as reporter in all Spanish America, what
little news there is being gathered by the
editors. The director generally has some
other occupation. He may be a lawyer,
or judge, or member of congress, and
his political sympathizers are expected to
assist him in furnishing editorials.
At the capital of each of the South
American Republics there are one OF
more publications supported 10y the gov
eminent for the PRONUNCIATION of DEGREES,
decisions of the courts, official reports
and laws passed by Congress. The paper
which sustains the Administration that
happens to be in power receives financial
assistance, or a s'subventionH as it is
called from the Government This usual
ly comes in the form of snecures to the
editors, who receive generous salaries
from the public treasury for their polti-
cal and professional services. Every Presi-
dent and Cabinet Minister, every governor
of a Province, political leader and Jefe
politico (mayor), must have his ''organ, ="
and if he is not the editor of it himself
sees that whoever acts in that capacity is
paid by the taxpayers.
Except in few of the larger and more
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hours of publication, but papers are issu-
ed at any time, from eight O clock in the
morning till ten at night whenever there
is matter enough in type to fill the FORMS
1t seems odd to have yesterday $ paper de-
| livered to you in the afternoon of to-day
but it often occurs. Papers often quote
from one another. They select their news
as ship builders choose timber-when it is
old and tough. Compositors are not paid
by the thousand ems, as in the United
States, but receive weekly wages, seldom
more than eight or ten dollars. The
printers are mostly natives although a
few Germans are found. There are no
typographical unions OF trade organize
tons in South America. In the larger
cities the papers are delivered by carriers,
and sold by news boys on the streets; but
in smaller towns they are sent to the Post
as regular mail. The subscription price
is Unfortunately high. seldom less than
>12 per annum and often double that
amount. In some of the alleged Repub-
lies there is a censor OF the press, to whom
a copy of each edition is submitted before
ii is published. This sometimes causes
to be out OF town or otherwise engaged,
for the issue must be withheld until his
august signature is placed upon each page
of copy.
Although ''freedom of the press is
boasted, cases OF Imprisonment are com
mon of editors who have too freely spoken
their minds in opposition to the prevail
ing powers. journalism has its disad-
vantages here, for the party in, power to-
day may be out OF power to- morrow and
the editors who supported it be clapped
into prison. A case in point was that of
the editor of Ell Campeon, in Lima, Peru.
who a few years ago, published an at
tack upon the Congress Of that Republic
which was very mild compared with arti-
cles that are frequently directed at our
law makers; but he was imprisoned six
months for it, and his machinery, type,
etc., confiscated and sold for the benefit
of the government.
A street fight is the editors delight,
and although an account of it may not ap-
pear for several days after the occurrence,
the writer gives his whole soul to its de-
scription. The following is literal trans
lation .of the opening of one of these arti-
cles: "a personal encounter of the most
transcendent and painful interest occurred
dav before yesterday in the street of the
Twenty fifth Of May, near the palatial
residence of the most exalted and ilustr-
Gus Senior Don Comana, and was witness
ed by a grand concourse of people. whose
excitement and demonstrations it is i'm
possible to adequately describe >
A dog fight would be treated in precise
ly the same manner. Everything is ''slll'-
passing" 'transcendent' The grandil-
oqucnt style is not confined to newspaper
writer's, nor to orators, but crops I'D in
the most unexpected places ''For ex-
ample, says Nh Curtis, 81 once saw i'm a
Il l, Al, pz11-