The record-union., 1899-04-06
FIGARO" AND IT'S POLICY.
Villemessant's Unscrupulous Opti
mism Carried on by Maynard.

AAAsAA O0TTAcu on Oy Ma&narO.
If we sometimes wonder how the
press of Paris keeps itself in aff1uence
we need not wonder how it contrives to
entertain its readers. 1t achieves this
purpose by the rare talent of perfect
arrangement and light hand That
part of it, at least, which is, not polemi-
cal never approaches a serious topic
with serious frown The citizen may
read his Figaro without lashing him
self into fury or cramming his indo-
lent brain with the platitudes of the
political leader writer. And it is be-
cause the Figaro" processes an inter
est in something else than the scandal
of the moment that its influence has
endured for forty years 1t does not
represent Partisan journalism, for it's
TRADITION Is all its own; it represents
the middle. class intelligence of France.
It has no principles and no views. AS
rule 1t is content to follow the lead
OF its readers; and on the rare occa-
sionS on Which it has attempted to
shape public opinion it has retreated
from the truth directly a falling circu-
lation proved the truth unpalatable.
But the real distinction of the Fl
garo" is the continuity of it's methods.
It remains to-day very much what it
was when M. de Villemessant founded
it, and M. de Villemessant was a man
Of genius. Like Delane, he was mas
ter of the ceremonies rather than a
writer. He never contributed a single
article to his own journal, but he hand
led his staff as a practical coachman
handles a four n-hand, and not for an
he ba
could not write he could suggest, and
many OF his most famous articles were
inspired and even phrased by the man
who never welded a pen. He was bru-
tai, unscrupulous, self centered; he
knew but one mbition-success; aud
but one god-opportunity For a while
failure dogged his steps, but when once
fortune had smiled upon him he be-
came the masterful tyrant whom all
men feared, and whose posthumous in
fuence still rules the Figaro" He
was hampered neither by loyalty nor
respect.
A contributor was nothing to him;
single word of disapprobation heard, as
M. Daudet says, between the cheese
and the pear at breakfast, was suffi-
cient to insure the discharge of the
most trusted colleague One interest
alone dominated him-the prosperity Of
the ''Figaro*''-and his Judgment told
him that the Figaro" was better serv-
ed by brilliant succession of occa-
sional contributors than by the con-
tinued scintillation of the same talents.
! Every man." said he, with his habitual
frankness, has one article in his
belly; and it was Villemessant' busi-
ness to get that article out One day,
for instance, he picked up a. sweep in
the street, brought him to his office, had
him cleaned, and set him down to
writing table. The sweep achieved his
article and Villemessant was rewarded
by the curiosity of all Paris.
Thus, while the world of letters pass
ed through the Figaro" nobody stay
ed there long. and this fierce editor
never hesitated to destroy contracts or
to forget services. He professed few
opinions, and the one principle which
he cherished until the end was to pre-
serve the popularity of his journal. He
fought no battle, he led no forlorn hope;
he recognized the existence of no man,
writer or politician, until he had ar
rived. To vaunt his skill in prophecy.
to say exultantly ST told you So" was
no part of his ambition. He did not
glrd at the rising generation, he mere
ly ignored it; and thus he fulfilled a
useful mission, since it is but Just that
the old, as well as the young, should
have their champion in the press. He
admired fine writing, or said he did;
but he knew that it was of no use in
his shop" and the profit of his "shop''
was superior in his eyes to the credit
of literature
None the less the result of his gov
ernment was a colossal triumph. He
made the Figaro the perfect repre-
sentative of the well-fed. gay. intelh-
gent Parisian The writer maybe de-
spised it, but he read it none the less,
and he used it, too, whenever it served
his turn. The first article in the Ell
garo" was for many years. and still is
the end of every mans desire. To sign
it is to pose ones self definitely before
the public, whether for praise or blame.
10 be criticised in it, an honor only
paid once in a lifetime, is to taste the
perfect JOY of arrival Such, in brief,
was the end attained by Villemessant's
cynical opportunism, and it is to the
founders undying glory that the tradi-
ton he established remains unbroken
to this day. AT Villemessant's death
the torch was handed to Francis Mag
nard, who, besides. being an editor cut
to the very pattern of his predecessor,
was also writer of force and conci-
sion. For many years he contributed
daily comment upon the situation to
the columns of his journal, in which he
brought to perfection the art of jump
ing with the cat. He, too, was called a
cynic, and cynic he was, but at least
he preserved the Figaro" at the high
level of cunning opportunism at which
he found it; and he was never persuad-
ed by any private or public interest to
outrage the worldly conventions Of the
founder
Indeed, 1t was not until last year that
the Figaro for the first time sacri-
feed its subscription list to what ap-
peared the cause of truth 1t espoused
for brief week the cause of M Zola
and of Captain Dreyfus. not, we may
we'll believe. for any abstract love Of
justice, but because it imprudently
thought that it was following the popu-
lar lead. However, reparation was
speedily made. The editor offered a
temporary resignation; the Figaro
printed public recantation, and hast
lily brought back its allegiance to the
army To our more literal apprecia-
ton this conduct seems cowardly, or
even treacherous We should argue,
and argue sincerely, that before it un-
dertook to be the mouthpiece of M.
Zola, the Figaro had examined the
soundness of the novelist's charges,