Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
XII.
The Campaign.

During the next three months events
moved rapidly. and at the end of that
period Father Francis was one of the
most notable men in England.
The equalization of Mr.. Mallard was the
first victory in a war that was destined
to shake the whole newspaper world to
it's foundation. The proprietor of the
Daily Biograph was shrewd man. and
he resolved to make the best of a bad
job. He even managed to turn his mis-
fortunes to profit. He was the first in
the field and knew the value of self
advertisement. He contributed long
article TO the number which introduced
the change in the policy of the paper. 1t
was very striking article. and its lam
guage left nothing to be desired. being
the work of Mr.. Pritchard. the editor.
who was a man of high literary talents.
In column and a half Of superb Eng
lish Mr.. Mallard explained that the time
had come when it was necessary to re-
form the whole character Of journalism.
The press he explained was the greatest
power in the world. It ought to be used
for the good of the community. In flu
ture the Daily Biograph would strive to
attain high ideal. to lead mems
thoughts to a higher plane. He was
proud to be the pioneer of a movement
which was destined to revolutionize the
whole press. At any cost he was re-
solved to do his duty to himself and his
fellow-men. and so on. and SO on, till
he reached the great appeal to the Brit
ish public which formed the peroration
of his article.
The first number of the revised Daily
Biograph raised chorus of criticism
and ridicule. For few days the de-
mand for the paper rose above the
pacity of the printing presses. Then
there came a deluge of indignant letters
from "old subscribers" The circulation
Mr.. Mallard worked like hero and he
stopped the fall. The paper simply
reveled in every conceivable form of
virtue. presented in the most attractive
paragraphs. Mr. Lampirthy drove round
to the offices of the paper and knocked
off another 24 per cent from the price of
paper. Mr.. Mallard began to see that
virtue was not such an Improbable thing
after ALL
Then came the surrender of the Morn
ing Telephone. and people began to Won
der what kind of madness had suddenly
bitten the minds of London editors. This
great journal was in the awkward posi-
ton Of not being the first in the field. but
it made the best of matters. 1t explained
that for many years it had held these
high ideals but that it had only waited
for an opportunity. The time was now
ripe and therefOre--and so on, and so on,
in columns of turgfd prose.
After that the great papers of London
and the provinces succumbed with start
ling rapidity. Mr.. Lampirthy moved
among them like hurricane Some of
them demurred, others gave in without
a struggle. When they realized the truth
they were eager enough to make the
change The longer they delayed the less
merit they could claim for their "heart-
felt conversion to the cause of truth.
The reading public were completely
staggered by the extraordinary conduct
of their favorite journals. Those who
wanted betting news and stock exchange
quotations. and sensation. and crime and
the spicy details Of divorce transferred
their allegiance elsewhere. But the
ground was continually being knocked
from under their feet. Some Of the
smaller newspapers blossomed out like
full-blown pink roses Then came the
day when they either disappeared or fol-
lowed tie lead of their greater rivals.
The only papers which survived the
avalanche OF Mr. Lampirthys wealth
were those which had their own mills.
mark for a thousand shafts. They stood
out like islands OF mud in sea of pure
water And they were not entirely free
from the grip of Mr.. Lampirthys fingers.
would be helpless. He hung a two
edged sword over their heads. and the
thread that supported it was very thin.
And all this time Mr.. Lampirthy was
course of his financial career had he
found himself in the thick of so gigantic
a conflict. Battle was meat and drink to
the man. and here was as hot and excit-
ing a contest as the fiercest soldier could
desire. 1t consisted in engagement after
engagement, in victory after victory. And
yet nothing was easy. Every single paper
had to be tackled In a different way. And
there was always the possibility Of de-
fance.
Then there would come the final crash
of arms, the day when he wound stand
out before all the world as the organizer
of the great campaign. So far nothing
definite had leaked out But the secret
could not be kept fer long Nor, inded,
so far as Mr.. Lampirthy was concerned,
was there any reason why 1t should be
kept at all. But the editors and pro-
prietors of the various papers concerned
had every inducement to keep the great
paper combine out Of the matter. They
did not wish the public to know that they
had been forced to take up their present
attitude and that they were practically
at the mercy of one hard and unsQrupu-
lous man. They preferred to pose as re-
formers. actuated by the highest and
most unselfish motives. Yet they knew
that exposure must come. and they in