The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-29
EUROPEAN YELLOW JOURNAL $

Chicago Times Herald.
The present war between the United
States and Spain has made evident to
Americans, ms nothing else could, the un-
reliability of the news In the continental
papers. The American who reads the for
eigu newspapers there finds the stransest
accounts OF imaginary happenings right
here in our own part OF the world.
To read the continental newspapers one
would imagine that with tho possible OK
ccption of the battle of Manila we had
sustained a succession of defeats. on two
separate occasions the foreign prcss have
contained lengthy accounts OF attempts
made by the United States to reduce the
Qualifications OF Havana. There Europeans
have learned that we have bombaIdei tho
Cuban metropolis and been repulsed by
Blanco's gallant soldiers. The Spanish
story OF the attack on Matanaas was ac-
ccpted as gospel truth and Europeans have
been told that the guns mounted In the
forts of that town were sufficient TO Slll
a few score OF our sailors and prevent an
attempted Selling OF the city. Then We
have lost other battles AZ Cardenas and
Cabanas; two OF our ships have been de-
stroyed by Spanish guns and another ran
aground being wrecked on the Cuban
C0ASl. vi GOuTkt. LHtAc WtTt Oul UtHt
ships, and we have not much OF a navy
left The average continental European,
indeed believes that we still have only
one or two armored ships and the rest Of
our navy consists Of old wooden tubs.
In q recent number of Figaro. that
much quoted but mendacious daily, may
be found one Of the wonderful stories
which are told for the delectation of It's
readers. 1t is an anecdote of the visit of
the Vizcaya to New York. The story as
told TO the Figaro's readers Ia that WHEN
the Spanish vessel was preparing TO leave
New York harbor the commander was sur
prised to see crowds on the pier and to
hear them kissing. OWNING that they
were kissing the vessel In memory OF the
tragedy of the Maine, tho Commander
called for his swords and pistols. In full
uniform he jumped into a gig and rowed
to the shore leaving his lioutenants in
charge with orders to open with all his
guns on New York II he heard a pistol
shot.
On reaching the pier he dlsmbnrked
from the little boat and strobe UP and
down among the crowd, now cowed into
silence He strobe until he daunted the
crowd which dared not hiss In hts pres
once. Then, having having proved tho ig-
noble nature OF the "yankee pigs" he re-
turned to his ship. According TO the tale,
as given by Figaro. be afterward de-
cared that had there been single demop-
stration OF hostility TO him or his ship he
would have fired his pistol and In few
minutes New York would have bean de-
stroyed by the Vlzcaya,
Figaro concludes this anecdofe by voucb-
ing for It's truth.
Whether Figaro was imposed upon is a
matter OF doubt. The general unreliable
ity OF the newspapers would go to prove
that IL was conceived In the fertile brain
Of one OF its editors. There are few re.
porters In France. II may be that the
captain Of the Vizcaya has been telling tht
tale In Europe. Most Of the war news
| printed In the French, German and Ital.
ian papers has come from Spanish sources
4 The effort of the representative OF
score OF prominent French papers TO securt
brides from the United States government
seems to be proof that the continental
repers are paid for printing the stuff that
1tbey do Ordinarily Figaro. for instance
bothcTs very little about foreign news. II
is a four-page sheet. printed in bourgeois
/ type. and containing not much more mat
i ter than can be found In page or tive
| OF TIE Times Herald. or this matter mo-
much more than half column Is de.
voted ordinarily to the news OF the world
! Indeed, very little Is devoted TO the newt
/ o. Paris when the great charity bazan'
| fire broke out not one Of the seventy eigh
Paris newspapers got out an extra and thu
most any newspaper printed the next day
about II was two columns.
80
The news that isn't printed Il mos
profitable In France, ar in this country
a daily Journal cannot live on circulation
alone. Here Advertising pays the billa
IN Paris. as in all Of the continental cities
advertising IL on q very smGll scale. an
tiachmaiI is followed. II will be remsm
befed that the most prominent papers q
Park. including Figaro. Lc Gaulois and j.
Justice, among others. were found TO b
mixed up In the Panama canal scandal
They received a liberal allowance mont
by month for printing stories favorable I
| the De Lezseps company ana suppressin
unfavorable ncws. Extortion Of all kind
IS practiced and has been universal 10