Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-17
FAKED BRITISH PAPER
Career OF the London Times,
Widely Known as "the
Thunderer"
ITS CRITICISMS MUCH FEARED

For a Century II Affected Great Brit
aims Policies-lts Enterprise Aston
ished tho World-ExampIe of Its
Success In Procuring a News Beat.
The passing of the London Times, as
much family as n national institu-
ton. from the control of Arthur f.
Walter 70 ;hat of Cyril Arthur Pear
son. representing what Englishmen Sc
riously believe to be the American
type" of newspaper publication, marks
an era III Journalism, says the New
York Times.
During large part Of its 125 years
of publication the Times has consist
entity stood for British conservatism
and, backing by dogmatic utterances
its serious view Of everything. includ-
ing itself, fairly earned its title OF
"the Thunderer"
With the first rumor of Its sale 1t
was generally believed that the pur-
chaser was Lord Northcliife, for it
had been understood that for Il long
time he had been anxious for the own
ership Of the Times. Report has 1t that
he offered $5,OOO,O0O for the property
In 1897 and that his offer was scorn-
fully refused by the Walter family.
The Times was founded in 1885 by
John Walter, bookseller and pub
Usher at Charing Cross, but 1t was
first known as the Daily Universal
Register. The title in 1888 became the
Times and Daily Universal Register.
and in short time the double title
became the Times. When John Wal
ter, the founder, died in 1872. the
Times was firmly established as the
leading newspaper of the day. The
next owner was John A. Walter. He
improved the paper greatly and intro
duced steam printing presses IN 1914.
For years and years the Times con-
tinued to grow in Importance and In
crease in prosperitys Its enterprise as
tonished the world. Its influence was
potent wherever 1t chose to exercise 1t,
its criticisms tremendously feared.
An instance of its power was given
during the Crimean war, when DR..
William Howard Russell who had
been sent to the front. so sharply criti-
cised the mismanagement of the Brit
ish campaign and was so stoutly back
ed up by his paper that a great sensa-
ton was caused throughout the coun-
try. In those days, when the paper
was under the editorship of Colonel
Delane, it was said that the Times
could make peace or war at will.
An example of the Times success In
procuring news ahead of ali its COM
petitors was exhibited in It's publica-
ton Of the Berlin treaty in 1877. Henri
Georges Stephen de. Blowitz was the
Paris correspondent of the Times and
was sent to Berlin specially to report
the Berlin congress. in which Bis
marck, Disraeli. Lord Salisbury and
NJ. Theirs took part On his arrival at
the Berlin capital NJ. Blowitz put up
at the Hotel kaiserhof. on the Inter
den Linden. and struck up friendship
with the secretary Of NJ. Theirs.
He made arrangements with him
that the secretary should drop note
into his hat every day on leaving the
congress. stating what had been done.
This was cleverly managed by Blow1tz
taking the secretary's hat, who in re-
turn took Blowitz's BY this means
and the help Of diplomat. whose
name he would never divulge, the as
tute correspondent obtained the text
of the whole sixtyfour articles and
then Or wanted the preamble to
make his copy Of the treaty correct.
He went to M. Theirs and said that
he had all the treaty except the pre-
amble and asked the minister to favor
him with copy Of it. M. Theirs re-
fused to do this, but said that he
would recite it for him. which he did
in a slow, distinct voice, and Blowitz
rushed home with it in his head and
wrote the preamble without mistake.
AS he could not send the treaty by tele-
gram from Germany, De Blowitz hired
a special train to go to Brussels, where
he filed his long dispatch to London.
1t was published in the Times on the
morning that the treaty was signed In
Berlin.
There was no interruption to the
Tines successful career until the time
Of the Parnell letters. 1t was after
the defeat of Gladstone's home rule
bill In 1886 that the Times published a
series Of articles under the heading OF
"Parnellism and Crime" which con-
tanned letters In facsimile purporting
to have been written by Charles Par
nell and seemingly proving his com
plicity in the crimes.
On the night Of their publication
they were denounced by Parnell as
forgeries in the house of commons and
eventually proved to have been the
work of Richard Pigott, an Irish jour
nalist, who fed to Spain. where he
committed suicide. In the action
brought against John Walter, proprie-
tor of the Times. Mr.. Parnell was vim
dicated and obtained $25, 900 damages.
In the last few years the Times has
had to compete with two cent and one
cent papers Of excellent character. To
retrieve its fortunes it took up with
outside ventures, in sort of partner
ship with a keen American, Mr.. Hoop
er by name. One of its enterprises
had to do with the sale OF the En-
cyclopaedia Britannica. 1t recently re-
sorted to a book club scheme devised
by Mr.. Hooper. At first it seemed that
It might add largely to its subscription