El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-27
n n ADRID. Spain, July 27.-The
MI newspaper as it exists in Eng

civilized world is unknown in Spain
There are journals in the larger Span
ish cities that enjoy a large circula-
ton but there is none even in Mad
rid. that compares in virility with any
one of half dozen London, New York
or Chicago papers, or with any one of
a half hundred that could be mentioned
in the smaller American cities And
there is none that covers the field OF
local news and of criticism and polit-
zeal comment like the leading Paris
journals.
Press Behind Times.
The Spanish press fairly reflects the
backwardness of Spain. This is the
fault Of the system of misgovernment
that clogs the wheels of progress in
every sphere of activity, rather than
the fault of the Journalists If the
halter were removed the newspapers
would develop and become similar to
those of countries IN which the value
of the fourth estate is recognized, and
where the law protects the press
against unfair treatment as well as
protecting the individual against un-
fair treatment by the press.
The Spanish editor who INDUCES in
open and honest criticism of fnsti-
tutions and important individuals in
his country has a slender prospect of
escaping Imprisonment or other serious
consequences of his boldness. In the
circumstances, Journalism is not en-
couraged to show it's mett1e. A press
that is without editorial stamina can
not become as successful, regarded as a
business enterprise. as one that is pro-
tected by law and can tell the truth
and comment upon facts freely. The
Spanish journals are not great enter
prises. Spanish editors are very poor
~ paid and the reporters are either
miserably paid or serve as volunteers
in the hope of securing some paid po-
sftion upon the editorial staff or OF
finding political position by serving
some cacique through the columns of
the press.
Some Courageous Editors.
There are honest and courageous ed
itors in Spain, but they are in a minor
ity and they are usually in hot water.
There are reliable reporters, but they
are exceptions TO the rule. The press
as a whole has poor standing and
poor living. Neither it's character nor
its income can materially improve un-
til Spain abandons the customs of the
middle ages and becomes a modern
country.
The leading journals of all of the
leading countries are upon the 'ex-
change" lists of the leading journals
OF other countries. Because of the
small Importance of the Spanish press
as a factor in Spanish affairs, and
as news gatherer and critic of men
and events and of literature and art,
few Spanish journals are looked over
by exchange editors In other countries
The leading newspapers Of the large
cities of all progressive countries sub
serbia n "naUS caruf0oS" nd
associations" which cover the world
and report the news of the day and
night by cable and telegraph from ev-
cry quarter Of the globe without de-
lay.
Not only New York, London, Berlin,
Paris, st. Petersburg and other promi-
nent cities in North America and Eu-
rope, but also the leading cities in
South America. Australia, New Zealand
and Tasmania have services of their
own or connection with services that
cumb Christendom and pagandom for
news. A journal in Buenos Ayres
makes the boast that 1t has the most
complete telegraph service in the
world There is not a paper in Madrid
that has a world wide news service
and most of those in Madrid and the
smaller Spanish cities content them
selves with very inadequate bulletin
service from Paris or rely upon clip
pings from foreign papers to fill their
telegraph" columns
Appearance Shows Poverty
The poverty of the press is reflected
in the typographical appearance OF
newspapers and in the Indifferent quail
ity of the paper upon which they are
printed. The inadequacy Of their local
staffs is evident from the meagreness
Of their local news columns. The fact
that no Spanish newspaper attempts
10 maintain a news service covering
Spain is due in part to the inadequacy
Of means OF communication in coun-
try which has a very small mileage OF
telegraph and railroad lines and poor
postal service. But If there were bet
ter facilities for collecting news there
would hardly be money enough in the
excheQuor of the newspapers TO defray
the expense Of gathering 1t.
Madrid is, of course, the best news
paper town." to employ the parlance
Of the local room, in Spain, but BARGE
Iona, a leader in all things, is develop
ing a press which expresses itself for
the most part in the Catalan language
and bids fair TO make itself heard from
time to time III national affairs as
Barcelona grows more and more milf
tant against the existing Institutions
in Spain.
Opportunity for Press.
That there is an opportunity for sue
cessful newspaper making in Spain is
shown by the lively sales OF the Madrid
papers despite their indifference as
compared with those of more progress
i've counts ies. Several journals are
credited with a circulation of $4,000 or
10000 and one with more than 100,-
600. Yet to find out the news of the
world it is safer to read the most re-
Gently received London or Paris paper
than to buy the days issue of any
journal published in Madrid. When
the backward state of education and
the extreme poverty of the masses is
considered the fact that a penny paper
finds circulation of between 100. 900
and 125.000 show how readily the
Spaniard buys the news in whatever
form 1T is offered to him.
Borrow From France.
The excellent literary reviews of the
Paris press are easily translated into
Spanish, since most educated Span
iards speak and read French, and many
book reviewers content themselves
with borrowing the columns of their
French colleagues instead of reading
current literature and commenting up
on it. This field of critical writing
might be developed without hindrance,