Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1877 — “ GERANTS.” [ARTICLE]

“ GERANTS.”

A Curious Adjunct of the Parisian Newspaper. [Paris Cor. New York Times.J An editor or liis gerant, usually a man of straw, is fined from 500 to 2,000 francs. If there is any imprisonment with the penalty, it is taken by a poor devil who receives five francs per week for taking the risks, and a support for himself and family while in prison for articles he did not write, and which lie never read. This system of having substitutes iB a very convenient one for journalists ; it is a penurious system in so far as the administration of justice is concerned. A friend of mine employs his concierge to act as gerant for his journal, pays him $1 per week when all goes well; S2O per week when in prison. This miyu is capable of reading a newspaper, but he could not write a single line correctly, and has no more idea of orthography than a child. The other day he had to answer for a brilliant article in his journal. “Accused,” said the Judge to the humble, cringing individual before him; “you recognize your guilt—you confess to your responsibility for this article ?” The accused replied that lie did. lie regretted the form of the article that he had published, but he was the only person responsible for it. '‘ Unfortunately, ” said the Judge, strongly emphasizing the word, “ unfortunately, the law compels me to accept this fiction. You are only a straw man.” “ Oui, Monsieur le President,” ho responded, humbly, “je suis homme de pnille, mais jo suis le seul rcsponsable. ” He had learned his lesson, and repeated it in court; the court was bound by the terms of the code to submit to this fiction, openly characterized as such, and openly confessed. This system is the result, anomalous as the idea may appear, of the journalistic practice of dueling. Some years ago the leading journalists of Paris found themselves involved in so many “ affairs” that their business waer interrupted. Often they got a coup d’epee which laid them up for weeks. One day a witty journalist hit upon the famous plan of employing the best fencing master of Paris to sign his articles. When challenges came, they were referred to the responsible party, who always punished his man, and who soon settled all the difficulties of his journal. Others followed the example, and took into tlicir employ young men with fighting qualities, or ex-army officers, who knew how to handle* a sword, if not a pen. In the end the journalists found that the system could be just as well applied to tlicir little disputes with Dame J ustice. The law required a responsible signature to each journal, and hence recognized the signer as responsible. From this to employing an ignorant and needy individual to sign these was but a step, and the system of gerants now prevailing was inaugurated. In a majority of cases it is the paid gerant who goes to prison, while the paper pays the fines and expenses. The real authors of incriminated articles are seldom reached.