The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-12-10
A Circulation Row.

l. Is a GOOD Wnile since you were
here last" / said to BIanco Wat
son when 1 met him in the smoking
room the other evening.
II have been travelling" he replied.
NJ have been to Picking, in fact"
ITO Peking?"
eyes / wanted to see what the
Chinese thought of the Chinese ques-
ton"
'.You found them very excited about
1t, : suppose?"
"Not at all. The secretaries of state
had been instructed to grant all build
ing leases applied for by European
powers, and that was considered to
have ended the question. was disap-
pointed. During the time was in
Picking certain cause celebre was the
only subject of conversation. Eng
land, Germany, Russia and France
were never. mentioned"
"What was the cause celebre?"
ut was so purely local that an ac-
count of it would weary you. Yet per-
haps not. Li-Hung- Chang shone in it.
and that might make it interesting.
You cav him when he was in London,
think ?''
nodded ~
"You did2' he continued. every
well, l viii give you the account. /
was in court throughout the trial and
took full notes. But brief summary
will be all YOU want.
#. was newspaper affair. For long
the Tel-Le, a paper sold at cash,
b d advertised that it had the largest
calculation in the world. No one had
disputed the statement, for the Tel
lie undoubtedly had the largest circu-
lation in Picking, and Peking and the
world were at that time held to be
synonymous.
but a year or two ago a paper called
the Mill appeared. Owing to its price
being but half cash and to the gay
youthfulness of its staff it became very
popular. On the list of every month
1t contained. an accountants certifi-
cate as to the copies sold during the
previous month. The figures steadily
advanced, and the people began to
talk of them in connection with the
statement of the Tel-Le. At last the
issue was made clear. In terms identi-
cal With those of the Tel-Le the Mill
adveI tised that it had the largest cir
culation in the world.
"You cannot imagine the sensation
this caused. Those who subscribed to
one of the two papers argued and
fought with those who subscribed to
the other. Railway companies found
1t necessary to label some carriages
The Tel-Le' and others The MILL
Preachers protested against the in
consistencies of the advertisements.
Candidates for public Office began
their election addresses with decla-
ration as to which they believed.
Alathematicians discussed the posi-
bility of both papers having exactly
the same circulation.
Simultaneously the proprietors
took action. Counsel representing the
Tel-Le applied for an Injunction rel
etraining the Mill from continuing
Its advertisement, and counsel repre-
senting the Mill applied for an iniunc-
tion against the Tel-Le. Li-HunQ-
Chang, the chief Judge, announced
that he would consider the two appli-
cations together and appointed day |
Tor hearing the arguments.
''The day came. The excitement in |
Pekirg was extreme. 1t is probable |
that the court had not been so crowd |
ed since the famous trial of Boil 30 and |
Ho-Ti for eating roast pig. Every |
available place was occupied. Mani
darins of high rank stood in a corner
of the reporters box. The prettiest
of the actresses of the Kik-O theater
were on the bench beside Li-Hunr
Chang. myself, disguised in a wig |
and gown, sat with the members of |
the bar.
THE counsel for the Mill was called |
upor first. He said his clients were |
confident that their paper had the
largest circulation in the world. They
welcomed the investigation. He had |
with him a statement showing the
sales of the paper since the first num-
Der. every entry duly certified by a
leading accountant. He handed il TO
Li-Hung-Chang and challenged COM
parison with similar statement in re-
Ipect Of the Tel-Le.
There was some applause at the
ind of the speech, but it was immedi-
ltes; suppressed by the usher. After
threatening to behead for contempt