The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-18

sion of war. In fact. the withdrawal of
So many men from The Sunday World
editorial corps suddenly and at the lat
ter part of tho week looked very much
to outsiders as if that paper would be
materially crippled in its next issue.
But such was not the case. There are
from I25 to 40 columns of live reading
matter in type in The World Office at all
times and specifically the effect was ne
more than it would be upon the ocean
to suddenly withdraw the submerged in.
dex finger. Such are the possibilities Of
the great journal today. However, in a
few days down came an order from
Chief Pulitzer calling for reduction OF
the price of the morning World to l cent
to city patrons. Uncle Joseph Is explana-
ton to the public was forcibly guileless.
He said The World had been soaring up
ward at the rate of go, 600 copies in
crease since Jan. l !; that its average cir
culation, to be exact, was 61S, 496 per
day, but he yearned for / ZOO, 900 day;
hence this change.
This, in fact, is the situation at pres
ent. But the war goes gayly on, and the
stories Of the prodigality of young Sam
son Hearst, who came across the CONT
nent in his seven leagne boots to shake
the pillars of New York journalism, are
thick as the celebrated leaves of tabled
Vallom brosa. Although the young pro-
prietor of The Journal is millionaire
several times over and no doubt is spend
ing money lavishly, as the result shows,
most of the stories Of fabulous salaries
paid should be taken with pinch of
salt. AS for the position of managing
World, no one who holds it ever suffers
from ennui. In fact, just now imagine
it may be something like dancing a
hornpipe, reel or fandango on a wide
awake volcano
Sharp Competition.
If The Journal succeeds in what it
has undertaken, it will Guido The
World at its own game, for it was The
World that revolutionized journalism in
New York some IL years ago by it's
audacity, its enterprise, its pertinacity
and its bombastic methods. AS an in
stance of the competition between these
two great journals, one of the latest
specimens of frenzied fever was the ex-
plotting of the story of an alleged Won
derful gorilla. The Sunday World rep
resented him padding in a canoe and
seemingly happy, though decorated with
the napkin of civilization, instead of
the fig leaf of barbarism, about his
loins. The Journal gorilla man was
clothed in whiskers, but the artist had
forgotten to give him the feet of
monkey and had drawn a very good
pair of ordinary human feet. Science
will doubtless be interested.
But The World has many qualities to
admire, and so has it's chief. It's success
in raising money for the statue of Lib
erty pedestal in New York harbor is
matter Of history. So are half dozen
other instances of prodigious enterprise
in the service of the public It recently
took the unpopular side Of the Venezu-
elan matter, but it's influence was in the
direction Of what will prove happy So
luton of menae1ng situation. Possibly
its most conspicuous and patriotic recent
public service was in insisting with all
the force at its command that the late
bond issue be made a popular loan fer
the masses. It thus saved at least S.
600, 900 to the people. Mr.. Pulitzer has
taken 81 900, 900 net profits from The
World per year for some time. Two or
three years ago it did fall to $4,000
and Mr.. Pulitzer is said to have raised
Cain about it.
Personally the editor of The World is
generous and not lacking in gratitude to
those who Loyalty serve him. By way of
I may mention case where |
a reporter of The World was transferred
to the advertising department much |
against his will. He could not afford to
resign, however, for he was in debt for |
a suburban house lot which he was try |
ing to pay for. So he continued faith
fully as best he could at uncongenial |
work, and without complaint. The fact !
came to the attention Of Mr.. Pulitzer |
one day, and the next week the salary |
envelope Of the employee contained
check of sufficient size to cancel his OBJ |
legation for the house lot.
Possible Eject Elsewhere.
None of the other New York papers |
has evinced any outward interest or
alarm in the World journal combat. |
But it is probably being watched close
ly, and in some cases it may create a
convulsive chill when the possibilities |
arising out of a first class g page paper |
for a cent, backed by ample capital, are |
If reports be true, six New |
York dailies which could name are al, |
ready in the doldrums. The swell from |
Mr.. Hearst's Journal and Uncle Joseph's |
World may capsize some of the other l |
cent papers, which are sailing close to |
the wind already. 1t will also have its |