The record-union., 1897-10-14
YELLOW JOURNALISM.
Caustic Comment Upon the Release
OF Miss CiSueros.

\
So the Republicans conjecture was
right, and the escape of Evangelina
Cisneros was planned and carried out
by yellow journals. The Examiner
Journal combination confesses to this
proud deed-the aiding to escape from
foreign prison a person charged with
a serious crime. 1t mattered little to
these representatives of the putrid
press whether the girl was innocent or
not; the thought that they might in
volve two friendly nations in a deplor-
able squabble, resulting, perhaps, in a
declaration of hostilities, gave them
slight concern. Indeed, it is altogether
probable that they hoped to accomplish
such result, seeing in it further OPP
portunities for scoring triumphs in the
way of yellow journalism.
For months these two shameless
sheets have been deliberately misrep-
resenting the case of the Cisneros girl,
and they succeeded in beguiling a num-
ber of foolish men and women into
making themselves the butts of the
worlds rfdicule. These soft-hearted
and softer headed persons We're induced
to address a hysterical appeal to the
Queen Regent Of Spain asking her to
interfere in behalf of Miss Cisneros and
prevent her being sent to the Spanish
penal colony off the coast of Africa.
Christina promptly answered the ap-
peal, informing the petitioners that
Miss Cisneros had not yet had her trial
and that therefore she was not in "a
position to exercise clemency. She was
kind enough to add, however, that she
would use her good offices in Miss
Cisneros' behalf presumably if she
found the young woman worthy of such
consideration The Queens reply put
the petitioners and their instigators, the
yellow Journals in an absurd light and
caused an investigation into Miss Cis
neros' antecedents that resulted in the
sweeping away of a lot of romantic
rubbish the yellow journals had heaped
up around her
The charge against Miss Cisneros,
briefly stated, is that she lured Colonel
Perez to her home for the purpose of
having him a.ssaSsinated Perez was
Governor of the penal settlement
on the Isle of Pines at which the girl
and her father, a Cuban patriot, were
| being detained. She herself declares
that Perez came to her home to offer
her violence. The case, it will be ad
| mitted, was one for investigation, and
| If the Spanish Government had at first
| any intention of acting unfairly by her,
which is far from certain, the clamor
raised by her sympathizers in this
country would have insured her fair
| trial. But here the yellow Journals ac-
cording to their own confession, step
ped in and "snatched the fair Cuban
maid from her cruel oppressors.'
No person with common sense will
concede that it comes within the scope
of a newspaper to aid to escape from
| Jail persons charged with the commits
sion of crimes. If the Examiner
| Journal combination were to do such
a thing in this country its managers
would soon be behind the bars them
selves. Yet who Will be bold enough
to say that they will not at some time
or other make such an attempt if they
are not taught salutary lesson for
/ their present offense? Is there any vii
| lainy at which such brazen and un-
scrupulous newspaper proprietors would
stop if they thought that its perpetra-
| ton would result in the sale of a few
| extra papers and cause a few con-
| genital idiots to indite letters to them
commencing them for their noble
| course?" We think not, and we are
| therefore of the opinion that every ef-
/ fort should be made to bring the "Ex-
aminer-J Journal people to justice.
| Now for the consequences of this out
! rageous act of the yellow journals SO
| far as this Government is concerned.
If the Spanish Government does not de-.
mand an immediate explanation from
| this Government and a disclaimer of
responsibility on our part its forbear-
ance is certainly extraordinary. If it
does, diplomatic complications are like
| of the amicable relations between the
two countries. if, indeed, they do not
end in war. But we are confident that
this Government will not stand in with
the yellow journals, and that it will
repudiate their act and give what sat
isfaction it can consistent with its Dig
nifty.
AS for Miss Cisneros' extradition, it
seems certain that Spain will demand
it. One of the "Examiner-J Journals
hired men at Washington telagraphs
that there is no power by which the
Spanish Government can recover the
fugitive, as her offense %unquestion-
| ably was a political one Conspiracy
or attempt to murder, with which Miss
Cisneros is charged, is not a political
offense. The convention concluded be-