Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-06
A Circulation Row.
e6eeseeseeeeeeeesseeee
TT is good while since you were


D son when I met him in the smoking
!, room the other evening.
81 have been travelling" he replied
II have been to Picking, in 6act.''
ITO Peking7"
"YeA l wanted to see what tn,
Chinese thought Of the Chinese quea
, ton"
"You found them very excited abou
, it. I suppose?"
mot 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. I was disap.
pointed. During the time I 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?"
1T was SO purely local that an ae-
count OF 1T would weary you. Yetper-
haps not. Li-Hung- Chang shone in 1t,
and that might make 1t interesting.
You saw him when he was In London, I
think?"
nodded.
You did," he continued. every
well, l will give you the account. I
was in court throughout the trial and
took full notes. But brief summary
will be all you want.
1T was u newspaper affair. For long
the Iel-Le, paper sold at cash,
mad advertised that 1t had the largest
circulation 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
synonym GUS
But year or two ago paper called
the Mi-H appeared. Owing to its price
being but half cash and to the gay
youthfrllness 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
advertised 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
eonsdstencies of the advertisements.
Candidates for public office began
their election addresses with decla-
ration as to which they believed.
Mathematicians discussed the posi-
bility of both papers having exactly
the same circulation.
simultaneously the proprietors
took action. Counsel representing the
Iei-Le applied for an injunction re-
straining the Mill from continuing
Its advertisement, and counsel repre-
senting the Mill applied for an injunc-
ton against the Tel-Le. L-Hunp-
Chang, the chief judge, announced
mat he would consider the two appli-
cations together and appointed day
or hearing the arguments.
THE day came. The excitement In
Pehng was extreme. It is probable
hat the court had not been so crowd
ed since tbse famous trial of Bo-Bo and
do-Ii for eating roast pig. Every
available place was occupied. Man
iarins of high rank stood in corner
IT the reporters box. The prettiest
u the actresses of the Kik-O theater
we're on the bench beside Li-Hunp.
hang. 1 myself, disguised in wig
md gown, sat with the members Of
he bar.
The Counsel for the Mill was called
pom first. He said his clients were
onhden that their paper had the
argos t circulation in the world. Thew
'e!ci med the investigation. He had
ith him statement showing the
alfIs of the paper since the first num-
er, every entry duly certified by a
aiding accountant. He handed II to
d-Hung- Chang and challenged com
'arison with similar statement In re.
pect Of the Tel-Le.
There was some applause at the
nd OF the speech, but it was immedi-
tely suppressed by the usher. After
threatening to behead for contempt
i court anyone who interrupted
gain, M-Hung- Chang called for the
rgulnents on the other side.
The counsel for the Tel-Le said that
MS paper had started many years ago ..
With the determination of upholding
ne dignity of the state and the fam.
~. 1t could place It's hand on It's
leart and look the whole world in the ;
ace, Tor it had not failed. Every day :
had given minute details Of the do :
ngs OF the emperor; every day it had
ealt in motherly way with litera- :
ure, music and the drama; every aay
had been voice speaking IN the {
arlors of the Picking suburbs. E
"Here Li-Hung-C Chang remarked 8
nat the subject under consideration
IA; the circulation and not the mis-
on Of the Tel-Le. In spite of the
re- at of beheading, the ladies of the !
KIT , theater applauded the remark. s
9Th phrase, the largest circulation :,
the world so4tinued the counsel