The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-11
most lamenii.shle ignorance as to its object and

ltS very cAisechco'
The only interchange of opinion that the
HERALD ever bad with the publishers is de-
scribed above They sent business letter to
us, and we replied in a business-like
manner II they did not see fit to-
buy our advertising columns, there was
no harm done on either side. We stand
in perfectly independent position as regards
the whole matter, and we have given the pub
fishers a good show with their official defence
Of the course taken by 1icknor, Reed Fields
against the Boston 1raoellT.
Our readers have heretofore had our opinion
on the Traveller matter. The editors Of that
journal were right in indicating the indepen-
dence of their editorial columns and the
publishers of Hiawatha gave terrible blow
to that remarkable work, which was finished
and laid out neatly, by the proof that it was o
plagiarism from the Finnish. But Hiawatha
being dead, we will let him rest and come to-
the publishers Hecuba, which is contained in.
very few words
Again." says the Circular critics occu.
plying important positions, are plainly seen tn
be Influenced in their published opinions by
pecuniary considerations, properly brought to
bear. In some cases the manner Of doing the
thing properly is simply to enclose five dollars
to the critic, without word or comment.
In other cases more delicacy must be used,
and the critic may be salaried by the pub
lisher as manuscript reader, or in some other
capacity" Also, the publishers say that these
critics, who are thus open to the benign
influence Of bank notes, are attached to infu..
entail leading journals-so-called.
Now, we are aware that this charge is true in
several instances, and those city papers which
are the loudest in denouncng newspaper corrup-
tion are the journals which are meant by tho
above extract, and their conductors are fully
aware of the position in which their sub-editors
stand to the book trade. One leading critic
receives twelve hundred dollars per year as,
editor of o magazine published by an eminent
book publishing house. 1t is a sinecure, for
he does very little except to write puffs for
"our books" and give slashing reviews Of the
things got out by those fellows across the
way. He also has q salary of eight hundred
dollars per annum as reader Of MS. for the
publisher who lets off SO many sensations
books, written by mysterious young women,
who turn up as great genuises in the ruras
districts, write some flash books, get great
many puffs in the papers, and then give place
to some other genius quite as brilliant and
little fresher.
Another critic for leading daily has sala-
~ for reading manuscripts for Broadway
publisher. The critic also INDUCES in what
some people call authorship, and his publisher
sriy fot he cActo
of old newspapers, and tavern jokes Of the last
century. The five dollar gentlemen are
brigands, generally expatriated from their
native land, who keep up the fight on their own
hook, and have sort Of guerilla connection
with newspapers whose proprietors have not
found them out.
This is bad stste of things for all parties.
Bad for the newspapers, because the public
have no confidence in their opinions; bad for
the publishers, because they pay their money
for notices which do no good and bad for the
public, because it cannot tell what to believe,
and therefore rejects all The paid critics
arc pretty well known, and their quoted OPT
mons in the advertisements which precede the
"frst fifty thousand" of book which, perhaps,
never will sell twenty-five hundred, or the
one hundred and fifty thousand' Of maya
zine, have not the slightest weight with the
reading community
The only remedy Tor all this is to adopt our
rule, and make the advertising columns alto
gether Independent Of the editorial and news
part Of the paper. 1t is, undoubtedly, true
that the journalist will be more likely to no
tice books which he finds advertised in his own
paper, but it is absurd to say that the publish
er is to pay for notice by an advertisement,
and that the notice must be good, whether
the book is humbug or not. IL
the publisher thinks that he does not
get the value of his money by the
publicity given to his work by the
advertisement, he will not advertise. To
demand good notice because he pays q dol
lar or two for an advertisement is absurd.
You might as well, Messieurs publishers, ask
your butcher to give you sheep because YOU
bought pig from him the day before. We do
great deal of advertising and receive great
deal of money from the chambermaids who.
want places, and we never knew one of them to,
ask for an editorial notice. They are perfectly
satisfied that they get their moneys worth by
the advertisement. Our relations with the pub
fishers must be the same.
If they are not satisfied, they can oil initiate
one publishing house in this city, and establish,
newspaper for the express purpose of pulling
their publications. If the nominal proprietor
the salaried critic-rebels, they can kick him
out and get one more pliable. At the same
time the reading public is fairly warned. 1t
will know how much to believe from these
eminent critics in the future.
Cry 0ppITlEs.--At shop window in Broad
way, where the likenesses in plaster of several
notabilities, dead and living, are to be seen, a
new object of attraction has RECENTLY been