New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-05
"ANASTASIE."
..,,,rpARY CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS
.xn STAGE IN THE OLD WORLD.

a.,an other Leading American newspapers az
's.a,re 10 recent dispatches from Constantinople
49, heen barred from admission to Turkey by
- q, the Imperial censor That is to say. no
'.Lss,ler or newsdealer Will be permitted TO
those journals on sale in any portion OF the
rr.ror.s dominions. while any Of these papers
ava sent by mail or by freight will be pitt
." destroyed either by the postal authorities
~ .rs,on,- house officials Of the Sublime Porte
". rrounds fo- this arbitrary measure against
tr,er,can press are stated to be the unfavor-
-" ~. .omment to which II has given expression
90" tho conduct of the Ottoman Government
". Connection with those Armenian troubles
10 ~. tor more than year have been exciting
". ,raignation end horror Of the civilized world
tn' Governments are sensitive 10 Journal
D,. criticism and while their own domestic
',.. are subjected on the slightest provoca-
=, conhscation OF the issue. TO suppression
W. ~. entire newspaper. and TO the inning as
=. Imprisonment Of the editors, foreign
wen arc barred out OF the country. and
n'.r,,syated cases their correspondents are
A..nsd by the police. that being the only means
:, s,sc,nline within the power Of the authori-
ties. ,,.s .,.. .,.r. ava No
..,,n,r,ss IN the world. either civilized or half
81 that are exempt from restrictions OF
49,. ,,rd save Belgium and the United States.
$50, ., England the Government of which Is
,,.-v supposed TO allow larger amount OF
,..a;,,,duaI freedom and independence TO its peo-
10 Tran tina, Of any other nation OF the Ola
,ror,d the censorship is far stricter than one
Itch, be led 10 ina gire from that muoh-vaunted
-~.ador, Of the press which every Briton re-
-. &C one Of the constitutional rights Of the
..on,s Thus IL an English newspaper crlti-
.,sss the conduct % a judge. or expresses dur
49, tho course Of a protracted trial opinions
.hou, the case to which either the plaintiff or
.he defendant lawyers can take exception, the
.d,.or Is quickly hauled up for contempt OF
.,r,t rerriman ded fined to the amount OF sew
.r., thousand dollars and even imprisoned. If
..s journal comments on the behavior of Par
p.ment. It's editors and publishers may be fined
and ,nprisoned on charges Of breach or pflNl-
LACE. while IL any Of them are incautious enough
"a hint in print that either the sovereign or the
Prince of Wales IL not quito right In the heah'
A. ventures 10 refer 10 these august personages
Z, terms calculated 10 excite riGicu,e or obloquy.
they can he severely punished on charges or
.r,isnrision." Prior 10 the reign Of Queen Vic
toria Offenders in this respect were subjected
70 the disgrace Of the pllory. and there were
MANY who suffered the latter as well as near
eeraton hundred years ago for declaring kins
George III insane before Parliament had off,
c,a]y proclaimed him To be mentally afnicted.
rhe however. is mild punishment compared
N that which was melted out until the begin
ming Of the present century in Germany 70
nohlae convicted Of casting doubt upon thelT
eoveregn's sanity. They We're condemned hot
only 10 the pillory. but also TO carry NANCY
cur on their shoulders from one great town 10
another Nowadays. however. in England mis-
prision" is published merely by fine and imprisoA-
ment.
READY TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE
7. is lorc since a charge Of this kird has
ever been preferred against any one. Eut tDH
statute Is IN existence and the stories which
are being published nowadays In certain organs
of the English press concerning the Royal Fam
fly have Increased Of late to such a degree that
the legal advisers OF the Crown are asserted 70
have come to the conclusion that the nme haa
come for putting a stop to the tales. many Oh
hem slanderous. that circulate so freely. For
he last thirty years or so 1t has been the pohcy
y the Queen and Of the royal family to ignore
hem and 10 pretend to TAX" no notice what
yer OF any gossip that might be printed ABOUT
themselves as utterly beneath contempt mat
yas all very well In the days when popular edu-
alton was Of an infinitely more restricted ma
ure and when newspapers were fewer in mum
YER and less widely circulated. But now Things
lave changed. Nearly every workingman reads
his paper, and forms his opinions from 1t; opin-
ms that arc OF importance in view Of the fact
hat he usually commands vote H. therefore
NJ. newsnano- Is permitted day after day and
.r~f Qrlh or
family 10 derision and contemplate for instance,
me widely circulated Reynolds Newspaper d
spirit Of disloyalty and Of aversion to the reign
Ing family is engendered which constitutes
serious danger TO the throne.
Americans acting in London as correspondents
for papers In the United States Will do Well
therefore to be careful as to what they ,eie-
graph or write for publication concerning ire
English reigning family: for 1t Is quite possible
that the authorities. anxious TO avoid the outcry
which would follow anything In the nature OF
IN attempt still further to hamper the utter
ances Of the British press. might begin by ar
resting and furnishing one or two LONDON corre-
lpoadents Of American newspapers, just by
way Of giving fair warning TO their own ne"e-
papers, convinced that their action would meet
With pretty general approval In England on the
ground that, although the Briton IS iona Oh
hvshing abuse upon his Queen and upon her
family, he quick to resent any similar utter
snces on the part OF foreigner.
Everywhere on the continent. except In BEL
GUM. the path OF the newspaper editor is sur
rounded with so many SHARES and pitfalls that
u Is wonder how any man possessed OK SELL
respect can be found willing TO embark In jour-
nalism. In France there Is hardly single
newspaper writer o, any note or standing VINO
mas not at one or another period OF his career
Undergone terms Of Imprisonment for offences
against the press laws: while In Germany there
are at the present moment about threescore
journalists suffering Incarceration for having
sentured to criticise the policy, the conduct and
even the personal accomplishments Of the En-
peror.
This Is all the more surprising seeng that ac-