Page:Herr Glessner Creel - Tricks of the Press (1911).djvu/9

 in the future. You'll he better able to interpret the stories you read.

No cartoonist is allowed to draw a cartoon which will interfere with the business, or arouse the antagonism, of a large advertiser. In his chalk talks. John T. McCutcheon, cartoonist for the "Chicago Tribune," frankly admits the fact.

You remember, in reading your history, of the great Moon Hoax of the "New York Sun." I want to review that briefly so we can compare it with the present-day newspaper methods. This, you remember, was during the period of 1835. It was known that Sir John Herschel had gone to the Cape of Good Hope for the purpose of erecting an observatory. The "Sun" appeared on the streets one day with what purported to be an extract from the Edinburg "Journal of Science." This stated that by means of a powerful telescope Herschel had found the moon to he inhabited by human beings with wings. Great flocks of them had been seen flying about. The telescope had also revealed a most intelligent race of beavers. Pictures of these and of moon scenery were published. The ran through several issues. Thousands of extra papers were sold. As the stages drove into outlying towns they were surrounded by crowds of excited people who refused to disperse until each had paid for and secured copies of the fake edition. This was before the day of cables. The deception was not discovered until the arrival of authentic advices from Edinburg.

Of course, in our day and age, nothing of this sort could happen. The fast mail train, the telegraph and cable are protection against such gross news frauds. But this did happen during the period mentioned. Now compare it with a more recent trick of the press.

The "Chicago Tribune" occupies school land in the heart of Chicago. By means of an illegal lease, signed at midnight. the "Tribune" is robbing the school fund of about $48,000 a year. When Edward Dunne was mayor of Chicago he attempted to annul that lease. Of course