The times., 1897-05-03

NEW 1Ofk, May = ne sun toudS lsilHGs
the following:
An editor and publisher in small city
In Ohio was surprised one morning 10 find
In his newspaper an unusual number of dis
patches under foreign date lines. When
he asked his cable editor how such an uu-
precedented a:nouGt OF European news had
been obtained, he received the laconic an
swer
by grapevine, sir.'
II is rumored that a grapevine grows IN
Dey street near Broadway. IL Is reported
thatit climbs the wall of he Western Uni oE
building to the fifth story. 1t is understood
that il enters the windows of the Chicago
Associated Press. Itis said that it spreads
With luXuriant fullness over the padding
Cell from which cable news is supposed to
euIanate. 1t is furthermore declared that
IL cntwines the desk and lone inmate of
the padding cell In wel.-informed cirCles
it is added that it winds its tendrils
round the sheets of cable news delayed
In transmission 1t is also stated on the
hest authority that by it's unceasing do-
uvity it has produced fearful and wonder
ful results in the last three weeks, con-
patrons OF the concern which maintains
the grapevine, the padding Gel! and the
inmate thereof.
Daily since the war between Greece and
Turkey broke out the reading puhiic has
marvelled at the war ne ws of the Chicago
Associate ted Press Whence did this news
come? What did it mean? What was
il intended to show? No sooner would
q Greek victory be reported and the
reader begin 10 hope that at last he had
fastened on a lone fact, than he would be
confronted with ''on the contrary, it is
stated" and would be plunged again into
unfathomable doubt. Hardly would he
grasp the situation that the Tarks were
fighting like demons, stated positively
on the best authority before he woald
be distracted by the report, current on
the other hand in well-known circles,
that they were fleeing III terror before
the vaIorous Greeks Moreover, as he
wandered in this labyrinth of contra
dictions his confusion was increased by
the relentless slaughter Of the language
This slaughter has been one of the most
painful features of the war. 1t has been
a Bashi- BaZoUk performance, Which, If
done in Europe, doubtless would be fol-
lowed at once by an international con-
ference of philologists. The vernacular
has been masSacred without hesitation and
without mercy. Even the grammar has
been foully dealt with. Bat as such
excesses have been only coDtributory TO
the confusion of the public in the present
crisis, they may be dismissed as incidents
OF the campaign. The center of interest
is the padding cell, with its grapevine
attachment, and the methods OF making
the war news peddled out by the Chicago
Associated Press to its patrons, and by
these patrons to a confiding public
The chief aim of the inmate of the pad
ding cell is space. That the public is more
anxious for trustworthy news than bulging
columns, does not trouble him or his enl-
ployers. Better half column Of uninteI-
gible contradictions. he thinks. than a short,
clear statement of the last happening at
the seat of war. 1t has been for the sake
of space that reports from the seat OF war
have been questioned as soon as sent out
and the statements have been preluded con-
stantly with such expressions as "It is
stated on the best authority, as already
announced in the previous dispatches of the
Associated Press, p" or. 1T is learned from
the bestinformed circles by the correspond
ent o. the 4 Associated Press at the summit
of Milouna Pass" To cast doubt upon a
eportreqIresa along explanation. To break
any piece of news gradually requires a
considerable amount OF language. AS this
language, If sent by cable, would cost the
Chicago Associated Press 10 cents a word
from London, besides the tolls from the seat
of war to London. the supposed utility of the
padding cell is plain. The patrons of the
Chicago Associated Press are led to be-
lieve that they are served with cable
news regardless of expense. 1t is an old
trick, given up long ago by concerns sup
posed to care at all for the trust worthiness
of their news.
Persons who have been thevictims of the
padding ceIi in the last few weeks may
be interested i'll learning just how they
have been mystified and deceived. 1t is
Impossible here TO illuminate at length
the work of the padding cell. Only few
typical illustrations can be given. Here
are two examples OF plain mystificaton
cent out from the padding cell just as
the conflict began:
'The dispatch TO the Associated Press
from the headquarters of the Greek army
at Larissa, stating that diplomacy is slow,
and that great activity prevails on both
sides, exactly describes the situation. The
frontier dispatches during the past week
have reported mysterious movements of
both Turkish and Greek troops, cavalry
scouting, etc.
The ''etc. ~ at the end of this quotation
probably marks the limit of what the long
suffering editor would risk inflicing on
the public. IL seems hardly likely that the
padding cell would stop with a paltry S5
worth Of mystificauon. Why not make it !
$40 or $50 worth? 1t would not ost any |
thing. Two specimens OF padding, evi- |
IDENTIFY constructed by days labor, follow |
let him who can interpret them:
Easter being the great festival OF the |
Greek Church, IL was hoped that actual |
hostilities, since the reported failure of |
the raid OF the insurgents into Macedonia, |
would be postponed until next week, espe- |
cially as the concert OF the powers, having |
failed in everything else, succeeded beyond |
oil hopes in holding back Turkey from |
plunging into war, while proving to Greece |
that Turkey is still able to mobilize an
enormous enemy. Whether this is a good |
omen for Europe and for civilization, etc. |
''It is reported at the foreign office in |
London) that the communications received |
here today from the Marquis of Salisbury |
after his interview with Queen. Victoria /
at Nice, support the theory that the British |
government is using its utmost energy |
TO persuade both the combatants 10 make
q concession of the conflict at the stage
which III mas now reached. NJ Hanotaux, |
VINO received the Greek minister to France |
today, is understood to have assured him