THE PRINTER AND PUBLISHER

THE POLITICAL CARTOON.
O NE of the most interesting developments of moder
J times is the art of political cartooning, says The Chicago
Times-Herald. Hundreds of newspapers, comic weeklies and
other periodicals all over the country are springing cartoons
apropos of the great Presidential campaign of 1896. Two
score years ago the political caricature was unheard of. To-
day it is one of the great features of the daily newspaper. A
number of the earliest cartoons made in this country show a
marked difference from the caricatures of to-day. While the
work upon some of them is crude, the idea which the cartoonist
wished to convey is, nevertheless, very forcibly expressed.
Manv of the cartoons of the early days were far from being dig-
nified and respectful, and a number of them were even brutal.
The modern cartoon is finished and perfect and in most cases
it pokes fun at a political candidate in a very inoffensive way.
Indeed, it is said on excellent authority that politicians consider
it such a mark of honor to be cartooned that they send their
best photographs to the well-known artists of the country. It
is vigorously maintained by many that a politician does not
arsount to much until he has been cartooned. After that distinc-
tion he is supposed to have advanced several steps and to have ar-
rived at a distinction that makes him a force of sone moment.
The political cartoon first came into prominence during the
Presidential campaign of I860, when Lincoln was the Repub-
lican nominee, Douglas the Democratic champion and John C.
Breckinridge was the nominee of a bolti ng wing of the Demo-
cratic party. Even then few newspapers began the practice of
printing political cartoons, although they had many on other
subjects. Single-sheet wood-cut cartoons were made alone and
scaltered broadcast all over the country. The Cleveland Cam-
paign Plain Dealer, a fiery Dougla o as orga, was one of the few
papers which printed cartoons. The par was also a bitter
antagonist of President Buchanan, and it did its utmost to make
things hot for the President and for candidate Lincoln and all
his supporters. One crude pictuere rpresented Lincoln and
Douglas as pugilists. Douglas had Lincoln's head under his
arm and was represented in the act of severely pummeling the
noted Abolitionist, while a number of Lineoln's most noted op-
ponents stood outside the ring ropes jeering at the " rail split-
ter " and urging on the " little giant."
ST IRAW NEWSPAPER EDITORS,
Most Russian newspapers keep "a man of straw " as re-
sponsible editor. In return for the use of his name he draws a
salary of about $,oo0o a year. In the event of a prosecution
the man of straw has to stand fire. If the judgment is against
the paper he bas to go to prison. Some time ago the man of
straw of The Novoe Vremya was sentenced to four months' im-
prisonment. It was the first piece of work he had done for
some years, although he had Iben regularly drawing his salary
all the time.-Fourth Estate.
NOVEL ADVERTISING.
From the announcements of births in the newspapers an
enterprising London shopkeeper now makes upa birthday book.
No other explanation of the following type-written letter occurs
to the parent who, in receiving it, has thus been reminded by
a stranger of a coming anniversary: "Madam-As your little
daughter's birthday is approaching, and thinking that probably

you may require some present for her in conimemoration of the
event, we take the liberty of enclosing an abbreviated list of
our toys which we think would be suitable, and trust that you
will be able to find among them something with which she
would be pleased; or, should you desire it, we shall be most
happy to send you, on receipt of your instructions, our full and
illustrated catalogue. Hoping to be favored with your orders,
which shall receive our prompt and best attention, and wishing
her ' many happy returns of the day,' we are, madam," etc.
OUR INTERESTING CABLE SERVICE.
(FROM THE FLAG, OTTAWA.)
W E are not in the secrets of the cabl news service from
London which is served out by the New York agencies
to the press of the American continent, but it gives very funny
reading sometimes, according to British ways of thinking. Here,
for instance, we find publisbed mn Monday morning's papers,
under date London, July 25, an item about the Queen livlng a
great deal in the open air during the hot weather. On Monday,
July 27, in our mail fron London, which was delivered in New
York Saturday, July 25, we found in our London papers the
same news. Here are the two:
tParaigrph reeived byIail in New
[Cib1e, dated Londo, Jaly r5, prnt York Jiuy 5, in Ldond paper
cd as cab'ed neris Jul Jy ] uly
During the rerent bhet the Quen O During this abtrnal hot weather
iived euch of her time in the open the Q.uen drive to Froore soon
air, or, rath, under rent, near Frog- after nine in the morning, and takes
moe. Hee her seretries orked, hr breakfast n a tent. In a neigh-
state documents were signed and bring one she spends the morning
lunheon served. Intirate grlrts, at work with he r secretaries, getting
who w allowed a cce to this re- tbe businea over rwel bfore two,
trat, say that it had a armn when she return to the Castle fer
cation, caught what col ee were luncon. Fi o'clock teais ger-
going, nd had a pI nt oiutiook ti. ally takell t Fromore, wbich is jst
wards the Be,kshire hills. . o looking drtghtful.
Hardly worth cabling from London on July 25, a week after
it happened, when it could be scissored and dished up with
changes in New York the same day.
NEWSPAPERS AS LOOKINC-GLASSES.
One of the latest deliverances on the subject of the press
from the pulpit is that of the Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbott in his
baalaureate sermon to the students at Harvard. From the
point of view of the press there was no better paragraph in Dr.
Abbott's sermon than this: " The journalist is the historian.
It is more important to know what is going on to-day than what
occurred in ancient Greece. We hear the cry that murders,
divorces and all crimes should be kept from the press. No 1
We want a press that shall tell us the vices of mankind as well
as the virtues. The press is a looking-glass. We look in it
every morning and see ourselves very dirty. But we do not
want to find fault with the glass. We want to wash ourselves."
-Kansa City Star.
AN EXCHANGE OF COMPLIMENTS.
LWIRY CaaoINz.
The Vindicator complains because occasionally we clip its
items. We admit the corn, but we usually credit the Vin. when
we steal, a leetle act of courtesy which it overlooks when it clips
The Chronicle. There are several papers which do that, but
who watch carefully and complain if we retaliate. Our readers
are well aware that The Chronicle publishes very little besides
original matter. Besides, papers might well afford to lend one
another a few items to held pass the hot weather.

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