The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-20
PRESS OF THE CAPITAL
WASHINGTON CITY THE GRAVE
 YARD" OF NEWSPAPERS.
Retrospect Upon Journalism of Ma tional Capital Made Timely by Proposed Establishment of
 New Democratic Paper.

Corhespondencs of New Orleans Times
 Democrat, Washington.
 Rumors are current that Democratic newspaper is to be launched In Washing ton early next year. This calls atten- ton to the faat that the National Capital is the graveyard of newspapers. It cer- tainly has been the graveyard of many, and there is very little here upon which to base the hopes for the establishment of successful newspaper, and especially one devoted to the interests of the Demo- cratic party. The material conditions es- sentional to permanent journalistic pros perity are wanting. The population nominally is about 1S5.0Oo. Of this num- Der a very large per centage is colored, a large portion of which can not read, and of those who do read few pay sub scriptions for daily newspapers. The transient population is here through a scanty half year. There is little conn merce. The only business interests which & newspaper can rely on for pecuniary assistance are the interests of the local retail tradesmen. The rates of compost ton and presswork are high. Writers must have bread. however little and how ever stale: 50 that 1t Is not a difficult tack to establish a newspaper here which will proxinate in its expense the outlay of a metropolitan daily while receiving only a very insignificant portion of the receipts of such a daily. Journalism in Washington stands generally connected with the government. but the days of mere organs are now ended. Papers can not be established merely as the organs of party.
 It is interesting to recall the experience of some ot the old-time Washington Dem ocratic newspapers. Democratic journal ism at Washington began when news papers were the oAtspaw of poiitioa Head CTS. The politicians then were chiefs, and the newspapers were their weapons The history of government journalism, in and out of Washington, is full of the bitterest personalities and of the most gigantic jobs. Alexander Hamilton first undertook to found a government news paper. It was entitled The Gazette of the United States. It was nominaAy conducted by General Fenne, and was published at New York City. John Adams wrote for 1t under the signature "Davilla." It enjoyed whatever govern ment pap the treasury in those days had to give. which was not much. An oppo- sition paper was started and supported by the Madison opposition, called The National Gazette. which was edited by Frenneau. Serious Quarrels arose out of the antagonism of these two papers and all their successors, in which General Washington at last interfered. The Hamilton and Madison papers subse- quently became so bitter that Washing ton declared that the publications in both Journals were "outrages upon deeency. Then and afterwards the editors had & rough time of it. spending time in jail for libel and under bonds to keep the peace. The exhibition of what is now known as newspaper enterprise" was made the prstext for the passage of the old sedition law The famous Talleyrand dispatch upon the condition of Europe was obtained in some mysterious way and printed. great row was made about it. and the government passed the sedi- ton law, it being introduced by Mary land member. This law was French censorship of the press not unlike that covertly attempted in the press gag law" However, 1t proved of value to Journalists. The first journalist impris- oned under it was elected to Congress before he had served out his term. This was Colonel Matthew Lyon of Vermont, who gave the decisive vote that made Jefferson President in the election that went to the House in 1901. It was chiefly to reach him that the law passed, and while we was in 8 filthy prison cell ho was elected to Congress. and at the man date of an indignant people the iron bars drew back and the champion Of free speech and liberty stepped forth.