The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-27

cuse for being. After the edtor-ln-
chief come the bollaborateurs. who are
not necessarily attached to the jour-
nal, and write political and literary
articles over their own signatures, for
which they are personally responsible
although the articles, of course, are
In line with the papers policy. These
men come nearer to the regular edi-
torial writer's OF American papers than
any other, but they are free-lances, and
may write for a dozen papers. Next
in importance are the critics of the
drama, music, art, and paper, although
each paper employs but one. All these
men, TIE aristocraCy of French Jour
nalism, are very light woriIers; it Is
seldom that they write more than two
articles a week, each containing about
as much az n column in the Sun, and
they consider that very fair production.
The worh, moreover. Is very different
from that of American newspaper;
it is done leisurely, never at night, and
without any pressure regarding time
Illness. AS the utter absence of any
curiosity to know, at the earliest posi-
Bile moment, what is happening in the
world, Is a characteristic of the French
newspaper reader, so is it unnecessary
for the French editorial writer to hur-
ry with his comment. 1t is given to
no newspaper, thought it should bring
the latest news from the moon, to di
vert either from his pleasures. 1t will
read as we'll tomorrow as today. Thus
French editorial often appears after
the event which calls it forth has been
forgotten.
THE JTnJTnTl
Perhaps the most important man Of
| the Paris paper is the secrctaire de re-
daction. He fills the shoes Of the Ameri-
can managing editor night editor city
editor, suburban editor, and copy read
ers. He is really the only editor the
| Paris paper has. He reads every paper
! published in Paris; he has charge Of
| the reporters and gives out assign
ments; he reads all the copy, local,
| telegraph, and special and all the
| proofs; lastly, he makes up the paper
| and goes home only when the first
! copy comes off the press. He is hard
| worked, but these many duties are
| possible because a French paper, de-
| Quoting the continued stories, prints
in it's four pages only the equivalent
of about one page of the Sun.
1t is when the reporters are consid-
| cred that one finds the greatest lack
| of a French paper, however. They are
| of three classes-the specials" the
| "ordinaries," and the fats diversiers." ="
| The Specials" include the sporting
| men, the theatrical man, and the in
| reviewers; the "ordnaries," the legis-
! lative and court reporters, and those
| charged with looking after the various
| 90 ~ nfiPpC-a11
| the "fait diversiers," the local men on
police and other criminal cases and
! happenings of the street. All these re-
porters are cut out Of the same block.
They have a dress which is nearly uni
form-silk hats with wide, fiat brims,
very long frock coats. and flowing
necEties. They all wear the hair long,
sport sticks, and carry flowers in their
| buttonholes, have boards fashioned to
a point, and wear yellow kid gloves
throughout the year. Their great
dream is to he mistaken for a boule-
| vardier.
The method of work of these gentle
men is odd. IF they received an as
| signment-say a sensational murder or
| suicide case-they all go to a cheap
safe on the Boulevard and draw lots
| to see which shall be the man to go
| to the police station of the quarter in
which the event occurred. The un-
| lucky one finally gOes-strollinS as far
along the boulevards as possible. Al
| the police station he receives a writ
ten slip, perhaps thirty or forty lines
telling all that the police care to have
known about the matter. Seldom is
the name of a victim or of a murderer
given out, and the reporter has to be
satisfied with initials. He returns leis.
urely to the cafe, and all the other re.
pOrters COPY the slip when they have
time. That is all. All the papers print
the paragraph the next morning, and
the public is satisfied. That is how al
the criminal news of Paris is gath
cred. Sometimes, however, one OF