TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9602, 17 December 1896, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Thk most striking incident of An the whole Presidential camElection paign in the United Statos " Parade." was the colossal "parade" in

New York on the Saturday preceding the day of election. Mr McT_inley's managers, by a happy inspiration, suggested that the day should be observed as " Flag , Day," as their candidate had appealed to the people's patriotism to support his policy of sound money and national honesty as against his rival's "free silver" policy. The suggestion was adopted at once, arid the result was the biggest thing in parades that New York has. ever seen, and au outburst of patriotic feeling which swept over the entire country. The national flag was* displayed in unequalled profusion in every city, town and village in the States. The interest centred in New York. There business was suspended for the day, and the great city gave itself up to the huge'politico-patriotic demonstration. Almost every building, public and private, was decorated with the national colours, which waved from the roofs, hung in long lines across the roadways, and fluttered from every available point. Under this flash and glow of the red, white and blue marched, from ten o'clock in the morning until -. nearly seven at night, 125,000 men, sixteen abreast, filling the streets from kerb to kerb, and passing through the dense unbroken ranks of over a million spectators. Men from all ranks of life took part in the parade, the number of labouring men being exceedingly large, and every man carried in his hand a small flag on a cane, waving it in time to the music of the 125 bands which were dotted about the procession. It was a tremendous demonstration, and those who listened; to the patriotic songs sung by the marching thousands, and to the rolling cheers from 4 the spectators, which never ceased, must have felt tliat they w,ere face to face with a volume of public opinion which must carry the day. The extraordinary feature of the whole affair was that, though it was in support of a Republican candidate, no hostile voice was raised against it, and this in New York, which has been the strongest Democratic city in the country. There could be no. more convincing evidence, said the correspondent of a London paper, that tlie campaign hact aroused far deeper feeling than ordinary partisanship. Mr Bryan had assailed the national honour and safety, and must suiTur. the consequences. Another writer said that nothing like the depth and fervour of patriotic feeling which the campaign had aroused on the " sound money side had been witnessed since the time of the Civil War, and Mr Bryan fought against Fate when he iought that.

The London Diily Chronicle . Journalistic is to be congratulated upon Enterprise, a piece of enterprise which drew upon that- paper for at least three days the attention of England. On the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of November they published a condensed story of the notable voyage of the Fram to the Polar regions, written by Nansen himself, and illustrated with sixteen piotures taken from .Nanscn's photographs. This, in American slang, was a decided " scoop " for the Chronicle people, but they were not to enjoy the fruits of their enterprise unchallenged. Messrs Constable and Co., tINI well-known publishing firm, applied for aft injunction against the proprietors of the Chronicle to restrain them from publishing the article in more than one issue of their paper. Counsel for the plaintiff- stated that Constable and Co. had entered into an agreement on October 20th, 1896,' with Dr. Nan*»en by which lie contracted to write and complete by January 15th, 1897, a

book giving an account of his exploration 'f and that they should have tho exclusive copy, L right in it for £10,000. Dr. Nansen aW | agreed that he would not publish any artid. ii in connection with the book in any languaj-, I except an article which he had alreiX -' contracted to write for the Daily 0/»ron(clt * The plaintiff- contended that the true mean " ing of this phrase was not that the artid* " should be like a novel extending over thr-n- " days. On the other hand, couusel for tlw i defendants read the agreement between D Nansen's agent and tho proprietors of th* Chronicle (made apparently before th explorer returned) for tho supply 0 f a tel**-, gram of 1500 words for £1000 and an artiel of 15,000 words for £4000. The affidavit f ', Mr Henry Norman, assistant editor of th piper, was read, to tho effect that it would be impossible to pnhlish so long an article in one issuq _** the paper, and that even if the injunction were granted it could not bo done, and enormous loss would bo involved, as _n preparations for printing it in the pro, posed form, extending over three dayj were complete. As to tho use of the •#•»_ " exclusive " in the advertisements rolatine to the article, it had no reference to tha issue of a book, but only meant that tha newspaper in which the articlo appeared had a right against any other newspaper which might republish the article. This ex« planation satisfied the pkintitr., who did not press their case, and the Chronicle waa lefb to reap tho reward of its enterprise which one must hope was satisfactory. The point which strikes one most is that il Arctic explorers have to put up with hardship and peril when engaged in exploring] - they havo some very tangible consolations' { when they return. Nansen has already received a good part of £15,000, and will get the rest before long. It is empUatio evidence of the interest taken by the publio in Polar travels.