The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-05

most - we'll have staid behind. All
steam is crowded on. The correspondent
has his story written when he reaches
the harbor. He tumbles into q small
boat and makes for shore. Then be
races for the cable Office and files his
copy. Perhaps there are thousands upon
Thousands Of words already ON file to 60
ahead Of his He cannot help 1t. He
goes to the hotel and finds large num-
Der Of kilograms from the managing
editor asking Of this or that. The other
Hay one correspondent received more
than 40 kilograms from his office.
Among them was one inquiring II u
was yet daylight in Key West, be hav-
ing announced that the feet would sail
at daylight.
No sooner are dispatches from the
yacht filed than another trip must be
made, for no one knows what may hap
pen to the squadron. A naval engage
ment may have taken place in bis alb
sence, SO back he goes. meeting another
rival yacht coming In, carrying he
knows not what. The story Of one 10 the
story Of all, modified by the exactions
Of the home Office The men ON the
yachts are busy now, but when shells
begin to scream and the guns to boom
there will come the danger Of death and
capture to add to the conditions which
now confront them.
The establishment Of q press censor
ship was an innovation which worked
harshly at first. To begin with, all
these writer's had hitherto been untram-
meled. They had been accustomed to
wiring whatever they saw At. Sudden
ly a man was thrust upon them with
the power to "kill" every word they
wrote. Newspaper speculation was cut
of. No more theories Of war were al
lowed. The writer who had been in the
habit of directing military and naval
operations with bis pen found himself
held down to facts and only such facts
as bad been reported to Washington
and whose publication would not hurt
the country's interests. This was alto
gether new, and its sudden application
played havoc In moro ways than one.
A few afternoons ago reporter filed
q long dispatch. There was much exolu-
sivs information in it. A few paragraphs
were deemed unwise by the censor. He
therefore laid the whole dispatch aside
for future consideration. After every
other dispatch filed after 1t had been
sent the story was censored and allowed
to 90 out. 1t was thus delayed 10 hours,
although no notice Of censorship had
been served on the man who wrote it.
This was intensely annoying, but there
was no help for it. However, when the
injustice OF reversing the fling order
was pointed out to Captain Thompson
he readily admitted It, 90 that it will
not occur again. The injustice done.was
entirely unintentional on his part Not
being q newspaper man, he did not real
ize the necessity for haste.
Another difficulty which some Of tho
newspapers have met with Is the unTe-
liability of the crews aboard their dis
patch boats. With one exception the
New York Sun is the only newspaper
here whose crew has stuck faithfully to
il. Some of the boats have been return
ed to their owners because of desertions
by all hands. The reason assigned for
this is that the men do not care to run
the risk of being captured by the Span
iards. They have read so much of Span
ish brutality that they imagine their
toe nails will be torn out with redhot
pinchers the moment they are captured.
All the Cubans in Key West seemed to
believe this most firmly, and their sto.
ries to the men sent courage below par.
New York Sun.