The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-01
The American and English Newspaper Press
The New York Herald and London

Wepublish in another part Of this days HERALD,
extracts from the London TINES, which contain
a report and some comments made by English re-
formers at a meeting recently held in London, and
called for the purpose Of procuring the repeal Of the
Tax on knowledge, as IL Is caled-thc duty Of a
penny sterling each Newspaper issued in Great
Britain, esacted by the government Of that coun-
try. In the Of some remarks made at that
meeting, one Of the speakers drew a contrast be-
tween the immense circulation a newspapers in the
United States, where no such tax exist, and the
limited circulation Of tn, diursl literature in
England, where such a duty is regularly imposed
and collected. A New York daily Journal, the
Ir,i1,re, was exhibited on the occasion by one of
the speakers as a specimen Of meriean journalism
and was raraded before the vast assemblage
evidence 81 what could be done in England If there
was 10 such tax on knowledge rs the newspaper
rtSmp duty.
The meeting in question, and the speeches We
have referred t., did not please the London TlxEs
thc editor # which took occasion 70 draw parallel
hetwecR the American press a. represented by the
New York Trlip,as, and the English press a. repre-
er,ed by the TnEs it-cif The remarks Of the
TIsKs contain some very interesting, but, a, the
Same time, sosse erroneous views e tie relative
position character aud standing Of the press Of the
Two countries.
The Trrs v decidedly wrong in two Important
roints-frst, the estimation which il has forned
Of American journalism, from the specimen ex-
bibited- and, secoldly. the influence which the
government tax of one penny sterling per sheet.
exercises on journalism Of any kind. We eoull
easily dcunonstrate q the satisfaction q the
LONDON TDsEs, that the journal which was eKbi-
bi,ed .. the meeting IN that metropolis. the New
York J.4Lnnc i not aair or crejitabc repr.sen
satiye of the ssndition and character Of the
paper rses al tis country. That jownal is mereiya
sectional sheet q recent existence, and even in ts
few erits II y an NO weak i'm stor, ofoder
snd more saosess6ul rivals. Ia fact, the New York
zJilpnc e M an american journsl in any proper
eense Of the tern In ia intellectual character il does
not exhbt any q the distinctive practical featsres
Of American character or American Journalism
none % lie hberalify none u hs comprehensive
ness; little a ts enteryri-s, AZ the in6sence
which A meriean Journalism exercises over the
masses % I've people II u essentially paper after
,s own fash. cn-pcrfcctiy geaers 10 this eoua-
ry; and, at m, -, i nothing more or less than an
,frhoot of forec socialism. devoted to the propa-
cation Of socialism and other equally disorgsnising
nd destructive theories 10 the United States. va
led occasionally BY a feeble effort TO initiate the
,roxrcss and advancems Mt Of other American Jour
,als. longer established, better known. and based
N better and more accu.- rate comprehension q
ls American character. the wants Of the people
poliiics, religion, and social NE We repeat IT,
h. New York Trrbrns, strictly spesking, l. not an
American journal II Is fanatieei, sectiona