The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-06-27
NEWSPAPERS IN CHINA.
BARBARIAN METHODS FELT IN CELESTIAL
JOURNALISM.

Case-hardened as China has undoubt-
elly shown itself in very many re-
spects to the influences of Western
civilization, in one direction at least
intercourse with the outer world has
made itself felt. Periodical publica-
tions in the shape of newspapers have
been known in China since the ninth
century; but it is only during the last
quarter o. a century that the press OF
China has assumed its present form,
and it may thus be regarded as pro
duet of foreign influence. In the ma
jority of the cases in which Chinese
enterprise is devot. d to journalistic
undertakings, foreign capital is repre-
sented The editors of these news
papers are exclusively Chinese, and
they are not difficult to find in coun
try in which every man who wishes to
make name must he a literate.
The composi'ors and printers are
also Chinsn T. is not surprising TO
learn thai III, { i.,~. rvs- l. "r,'cci-
ally strong iii those seaport towns in
which there are Eur"p, an settlements.
1t is not altogether an untniX"h hi, S.
ing that the press Of China is under 10
restraints ftcm the sit'e OF he law, for
the maEdarins enjoy the privilege of
dealing with the newspapers just rs
they may happen to deem fit. When
liberal journal has gone to a certain
length in outspokenness the authorities
step in, close the printing office, and
imprison the editor. However. the
Chinese have risen to the occasion, and
with view TO avoiding this sudden
term nation of their editorial activity,
many Chinese newspapers are pub
lished by European firm, and for
eigner is announced as editor. BY this
subterfuge the newspaper escapes in-
reference on the part Of the arbitrary
representatives OF The Chinese govern
nent.
The oldest Chinese newspaper is the
Pckin journal, founded, according to
tradition, during the Sung dynasty,
VIII ch lasted from $40 To 1866 1t is
not an official organ in the present
meaning of the WORD; it is simply
newspaper which appears with the pr
mission Of the government, and it com
municales to the people 'hc imperial
,iecrecS and the ut,!ets issued ly the
various governmental departments.
1t is not permitted to make any eli
toriat c,til.nenlS or remarks; these are
scarcely necessary, seeing that in the
brstowal of awards and i'll the irhclnn
of puns!amcnts the reasons which nave
led to the decision in either case are
fully given.
PRINTED On WOODEN TYPE.
The P, kin Journal appears daily,
and is read by the cduca:e; Chinese
in all parts ofthc empire. 1t is printed
by means of movable wooden type, and
it consists generally Of from ten to
twelve thiH, cinnamon ro'cred li'ti"
sheets of paper, which are bound -
gethel; each side is divided into ten
columns 10y red lines, and every column
contains fourteen characters OF type.
Nearly every number Of this semi-offi-
cial organ casts lurid light upon the
conduct OF the mandarns. For exam
pie, the issue of January 4, 1897,
quotes ten instances of gross violation
of duty on the part of the high officials.
The most important newspaper in
Shanghai is the She-wu-she-pao; in
other words. the Current News This
is long and slender paper, because
the Chinese place the words one under
the other, and these are, read down.
ward. Every number has eight sides.
The Chinaman reads his paper from
right to lef; thus, in the rght!and
upper corner OF the last side appears
the title, on either site Of which there
are the day and the month, according
to European and Chinese reckoning.
A Aitcr the pattern of English ncwspa-
pers, the first side contains numerous
advertisements. On the second side
are printed items of news of political
Importance, impy rial decrccs, and off,
cial appointments.
Then follow tclcgrams from the outer
world. As the Chinese press possesses
no news agencies kilograms are lifted"
copiously from English ard japanese
newspapers, but always with most
conscientious acknowledgment of the
source whence they are taken. For
its home news Chinese newspaper
relies upon its correspondents in the
provinces. Lastly comes the leading
article, in which wcighty questions re-
lating either to the internal life or to
the foreign policy of the country are
discussed. This Shanghai newspaper
is decidedly literary in its aims; how
ever, it has its staff of reporters, and
it dcvotes good deal Of space to items
of news
JOKES on FOREIGN DEVILS.
Bat the mass of tie people prefer to
read the insipd organ, Shing- tao.
that is, the News. and various other
journals which pander to their views.
THEN there are illustrated journals OF