Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-04-06
SPANISH JOURNALISM.


Madrid. Spain, March A. "In
France" an ingenious Spanish writer
has said, "eyen the most serious jour
nails publish jokes, and even the most
frivolous give the financial news. In
Spain, the most digniiled and correct
publish accounts of the bull-tights, and
the most radical devote section to
religious news"
This is not the only respect in which
the Madrid press differs from the !
Partisan, which 1T resembles in its |
material part the types and paper used, |
the amount of reading matter given, &c.
The French press INDUCES on occasion
in violence of language which IS
almost unknown in the Spanish press,
the most courteous perhaps, in Europe;
and not even the most radical of Re-
publican organs would use in Madrid
the expressions which NJ. de CAS-
saiguac, Conservative, employs in
Paris Spanish journalism also differs
from French journalism in that 1t is
absolutely clean. Neither in the writ
ings nor in the illustrations in the
Spanish papers is theve ever anything
to be seen that could offend the incest
sense of delicacy. 1t is not necessary
in Spain to boycott any publication.
Whenever any attempt at journalism
Of an equivocal character has been made
1t has failed for lack of patronage.
Another thing to be said about the
Spanish press is, that it has not pre-
ponderating influence in forming the
political opinions of its readers. The
Spanish read the newspapers, in the
first place, in order to know what is
going on, and in the next for entertain
ment. Thus, the upper classes, which
are monarchist and Conservative, read
the Impartial, which is monarchist
and Radical, the Heraldo, which is
Liberal independent, and the Liberal,
which is Republican. In return for
this evidence of good will on the part
of the upper classes, the Democratic
press notices in its columns the social
doings of the aristocracy, and there
will appear in the same paper, forming
a curious contrast, an editorial in which
the monarchy is attacked and the
property of the masses deplored, and II
description Of a ball given by a duchess,
written con amore.
The explanation of this is to be
found, first, in Spanish gallantry. The
writer of the society column, whether
he be monarchist or Republican,
thinks it his duty as gentleman to
please the sex. He knows 1t pleases
them to be complimented by the press,
and it would mortify him if they
should suppose that the writers on his
paper were not gentlemen. Second. in
the fact that class hatred does not exist
in Spain. Third, in that the Spaniard,
unlike the Frenchman, does not not
allow politics to interfere in the
slightest with his private or his bust.
ness relations. In the same family
there are often adherents of different
political parties. A free-thinker viii
choose for wife strict Catholic. The
Conservative banker confdes his Law
business to Liberal lawyer, and has
Republican for his physician. TIL,
journalist cannot escape the infuenc,
of this environment.
This good feeling is observable ais,
in tho relations between journalists
Personal attacks are very rare anon,
them. The general tendency in tn
press is to establish sort of free
masonry to MAINTAIN its influence ant
prestige. When journalist is electet
deputy or appointed governor of
province, his political opponents ar
those who most loudly applaud his ad
vancement. Variations are played upo
the theme, "We differ from him in hi
views, but he is an honest man and
man of ability" The journal whic
Ids ltdob W ouy III LIS praise los
renfiement of delicacy, the one o
which he is collaboration. 1t is to /
observed, however, that this species {
camaraderie among journalists is not a
ways pleasing to the public, who are al
10 be bored bya too insistent display of
journalism is generally recruite
from the class of college, bred youn
men. Occasionally it has happene
that man without a college educatio
has succeeded in journalism, but rath
as he'proprietor of publication tina
as a writer. The rule is that the edit,
OF a paper shall not be mere in
presario, but man who knows how
write. When by intrigue, or becau
he has money to buy a paper, ms
without literary ability becomes ;
of his colleagues. Absurdities are i
vented to attribute to him. His wa
of talent cannot be forgiven him.
In Spain, as in France, long ed
torials in the dailies are not like
these are reserved for the reviews. II
Spanish, like the French journals
writes clearly, concisely and forcibl
he is less aggressive, but he is also Il
brilliant than the French writer.
is also true that he is paid much ID
for his work. Salaries average, spea
ing in general terms, from S25 to Sl0(
month. The compensation is, th
journalism opens the way to success
politics; for the observation made
Villemain in France in the time
Louis Philippe; "Le iournalisme me
n tout, pourvu gu OH sorte,'' is ST
true in Spain. OF recent years, owl
to the large circulation reached
some of the daily papers and the prof
which they yield, salaries have beg
to increase, and there is observa
among journalists tendency to i
exclusively by their work, withc
seeking political Office. Politi
articles, as general thing, are
signed, as they are in France, q
articles contributed are not paid
the column, but according to the ma
and popularity of the author.
The Madrid newspapers contain lii
reading matter-less, even, than
French papers. In three columns
the Evening Post there are more wo
than in the whole of the Heraldo,
Epoca, or the Nacional. Advert
ments do not appear on the first pa
This, as rule, begins with the {
torial, generally on some politi
question of the day. Then come
kilograms, paragraphs, theatrical
book notices., society notes, foreign
domestic news, letters of correspo
ents, and so forth. Lastly, amusemt
and financial news. All this fills IL
pages. The fourth and last page {
tains the advertisements, which
few in nunher and t1rodnna Iit+la