New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-15

fired two other papers with emulation The
Petit Parisien." the editor Of which Is Deputy
and former Cabinet Minister. announced that IL
would give twelve thousand prizes. Of total
value OF a quarter OF a million OF francs
to the person who should make the near
est guess in answer to a question
common glass bottle. of which photograph
actual size-is given. has been filed up 70 a
certain level. clearly indicated on the photo
graph, with wheat OF a particular years bar
vest 1902. This wheat has been carefully
picked over by hand. and freed from all dust
and Impurities before being placed in the bottle.
which was then sealed before witnesses and de-
posted In the Credit Lyonnais Bank. Now, the
question to be answered is this: How many
grains of wheat are in the bottle? In case
number of persons are lucky enough to hit
upon the correct-or come near TO the correct
number all are invited to send In at the same
time an answer to a second question: What
is the weight of the wheat in the bottle? The
only condition attached to the competition Is
that every competitor must send in with his
answer the headings Of ten consecutive num-
hers of the Petit Parisicn.
The first prize for this competition Is the sum
of % 600 francs in cash; the second IS villa to
be erected forthwith beautiful estate, once
a royal park, about twenty minutes by rail from
Paris. value $1,000 francs; the third a chalet by
the sea. value 1900 francs. and the rest will
consist OF automobiles. pianos. plate, etc when
all the replies have been sent in the bottle VIII
be publicly opened and the contents counted
A third newspaper has opened stu
more sensational competition All over the CItS
NAV be seen the advertisement of the JourhaI
announcing 100000 francs In prizes. the SUD
tect for competition being the Golden Litre
about one and one-half pints)- This paper also
IrrfF IN va "a
the bottle is filed with alternate layers. dimen-
sions of which are given. of wheat and miliet-
The two questions to be answered are How
manv grains does the bottle contain? and
further. How many grains Of millet are in the
bottle? IL this question is considerably more
difficult to answer, the prizes are infinitely
larger The first prize is no less a sum than
10000 francs in cash. The rest OF the hIty
thousand prizes will take the form or automoohe
boats and cars bicycles, suites Of furniture
pearl necklaces and so down TO services OF
plate watches. etc. The same condition at
taches to this as to the other compositions
namely. a certain number of vouchers must az
company the answer sent in.
The above newspapers have thus adopted tne
old fashioned New-England idea Of hog
Guessing" Street hawkers walk about with
bottles of the prescribed dimensions filed with
grains of wheat and millet. and sell sealed
envelopes for a franc apiece purporting 10 con-
tain the mathematical solution Of the problems
The ironica1 "Gf Bias now under the d.
rection OF Antonin Perivier and of Paul Oilen-
dorf. proposes a still more lively competition
Its readers must indicate the house and street
where the most sensational crime will be COM
mitted in Paris before January 1.
They must specify ID the number Of victims:
% the quantity of pools Of gore which will be
found: 30 the identity and social position OF
the victims: az the Christian names Of eye
witnesses. IL any: 90 temperature Of the at
mosphere at the time at which the crime viii
be committed; 80 the penalties incurred by
the criminals; a. any possible alienation OF
said penalties in the event of reprieve; 80 how
many people. II any. will die during the trial;
90 the age of the policeman who Will arrest
the criminals; 0m the average price per
square metre Of the land on which the action
will take place. The prizes which the "Cil
Bias offers are-for amateurs. strait waist
coat; and for professionals the guiIlotine.
The ironicaI sarcasm of the GIL Bias has had
great effect. Veteran journalists. such
Adrien Hebrard. Arthur Meyer. CASTOR Cal
mette CIemenceau. Cornely and others, are
strongly opposed TO these methods Of buried
treasure" and Of jars of wheat guesses. They
ask whether the dignity Of the press is increased
by appealing to gambling instincts and whether
the traditions OF French Journalism are en-
HANGED by press men distributing pianos auto
mobiles. watches. sCarfpins, brooches. tons Of
coal and pounds of tea The "Aurore' an
nounces that il will outdistance its contem-
poraries by offering 50O0O 600 francs to any of its
readers who demonstrates how paper which is
sold for one cent can give away periodically
prizes of 100000 francs In the mean time NJ
Vale, Minister of Justice. has taken action, and
at a Cabinet meeting, under the presidency Of
NJ Loubet, informed his colleagues that he was
studying the whole question, with view of de-
Gliding how far the buried treasure and wheat
Jar games may be tudicially considered as pub
lie lotteries. The minister has also prepared
special bill prohibiting newspaper lotteries.
which. according to present arrangements. will
be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies before
the end of November. c. /. b.