New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-17

past twenty yeare" Bayard Iaylorb nc" eVOAyb ~
seph and his Friend" opens promsingly with well
drawn contrast between the social rehnements OF town
and country. Mr.. Henry James discusses the woman
question with reference especially TO Mill Bushnell Epes
Sargent and President WOolsey Gen. Francis A. Walker
answers question "What to do with the Surpus OF
revenue which certain to have at the end OF the
next year He not approve Of reducing the debt too
RAPIDLY but would rather up part OF our surplus
revenue in reducing internal taxes and lowering
the tariff OF the other articles only mention
Professor Goodwin Smiths lecture The Study OF His
tory" originally prepared for Cornell University, and
Mr.. Howers sentimental journey by Horse Car to
Boston"
The GALAXY sends out very interesting Janu-
airy number. which will probably catch many new SUD-
scrbers for the year Mr. Justin Mccarthy in an article
on Science and Orthodoxy England" gives excellent
sketches OF Prof owen Huxley, Tynda, G. HolyoaKe'
and Herbert Spencer. and their respective positions on
the great scientific questions which agtate intellectual
society both in England and America. Mr.. Mccarthy is
dun, and in this article he is more than ordinarily
instructive and entertaining. The "Story OF the Powder
Boat" is an extremely well-wrten account OF the
abOrtive attempt suggested by Gen. Butler 10
blow up Fort Fisher-well written because
it tells the story with simplicity and direct
ness. and with just the proper mnuteness OF
detail Edward Crapsey under the title "a Monumentot
Trade descrbet he business system OF Mr. A T. stewart
The anonymous writer Of Ten Years in Rome gives
readable and apparently truthful account OF the private
life of the Pope whom he to cherish personal
respect though he not conceal his hostility to the
Roman system. Mr. Richard Grant Whites second
article on the morals and Of journalism called
The Pest of the Period" What lie says OF Personal
journalism is so and loudly called for that we
should be glad to copy the whole of it, We must at all
| events make room for an extract:
The Pest OF the Period is the personal journalist lie
is not a newborn child of the tne for our great grand
| fathers suffered from him But they did not suffer
him They scOurged him out OF their paths ana uIONc
him into the dark foul corners that were ms nttlng
home and hiding.pace. He used chiefly 10 sting or ter
rfy victims and trusted FOR his reward to the delight
some people find in the pain OF others. He has not for
gotten this part Of his trade but as he mas erept ou U
his hole again and again. each tune ne mas assumed S
sweeter tone and more decorous form OF speech anu
now he lives chiefly by fawning, by feeding vanity ana
by wandering 10 petty curiosity. His sting IS not eur
pated but concealed and he uses II at times WIN an MS
old wantonness ana venom for he finds that ne may
Willy the few, and be tolerated. ana even aplauueu'H
| he will but fatter the many.
IL is only within the last five ten years that the per
sonal journalist has claimed an Acknowledged PoIon.
and set up regular Wellpald business nov nc
the country There are many newspapers that I'VE oy
his labOrs; and very few, whatever ther arg ilec
from the contamination OF ms touch. ms uTeatnsI
tant the social atmosphere, and develop IN us al moral
disease the seeds OF which are IN every HeaI ron to
curiosity which he pampers and grathes IL but a mou
strous and distorted form Of the desire OF knowledge
perVersIOn of the humanity supposed 10 be expressed III
Terences famous lne - am "a man anu ICsaio @
human fOTci me-, which has been lhaue SInCe
pryng into the affairs of Others the score OF neghOor
| illness and sympathy. What the gossip, the scandal
|
protest-almOst under ban-the personal Journalist
makes his business do for GAM and what they te
fashion of reading newspapers tells TO thousands and
thousands. There is restraint OF decency upon
the noble enterprise which carries him beyond the limits
Of privacy for the satisfaction Of curiosity In his eager
ness 10 bring hidden things TO ight ne passes S oS
mp by personal with the daring ana the dash
Of a swine running at swillrough Personal journal,
ism, It is now practiced has yoided mans me- ana
| wOman's too, Of all semblance of privacy.
II there is one relation in life which than another
should he respected by the Journalist u Is lhat Oh an
married woman TO man-no matter what may Oe lis
relation whether it be Of betrOthal on OF attachment
without beirOtha OF any other nature IS respected
honor and to delicacy Butte the personal jour
nast sgg senPe are TeaK bs Spnon TO excite
crafty the curiosity Of his readers az Whatever
the names of a and woman. either of whom is DIS
tngushed enough rich enough to he talked about 10y
few hundred people he announces thelr ehGageneht,
| in doing which he generally does DO greater wrong
& Us ms 6u, ESFG Or q he Tt ,5 is o. no
sonal acquaintance in this being guilty oil an mper
which he should be punished To 20 no further
tin for his condemnation, engagements are
unfrequently broken of and the unpeasantness OF
this solution much increased by the fact OF the pros
pe"tye marriage having been made the subject Oh para
graph which hawked about the streets FOR every one
10 read who chose spend cents In personal gossip
But sometimes the gossip in PRINT, Ike the gossip win
the tongue, circuates false rumos andlades ma them
selves placed before the whole newspaper reading public
III the position most shocking TO woman OF any dehcacy
haye IN inc heaP y Deiore e' tJ % "ch
contradictions rather for such errors can never DC COT
Tected. Owe have reason TO believe. one says 'hht
the marriage referred to IS not TO take place at an IN
| u
published as engaged 10 one man Wheh IN iaeL SUI
was engaged TO another pretty little complication and
one that she must have found inl OF ihefss
1T would have been better one paper says Nlch htu
indiscreety copied one OF these false announcements
not to have T 9na0g1eSd II qn g Two persons 1y M
This would indeed, have been better; but how much
sharpening OF the perception was required Tor the DIS
eoyery that would have been best not TO announce u al
In regard persons the rule Of decent journalism
very and easy 10 be followed IL Is to respect
absolutely the barrier OF private life. mans public
course his speech, his book his picture his suit at law
his breach OF the pubic peace MS contract Win Ihe GOV
eminent whatever, in brief brings hm INTO relations
WIN the pG9i Is PTopE s I Seona 81 s4 ms
relations with his family, his friends, acquaintance
fore the public but himself; and for him to do Is a
breach of good taste which editor should not permit
nalist TO pass the barrier Of private life, whether 10
praise to blame should be by law IN itself libel to
bring suit for which would be- OF course at the discretion
| OF the person whose privacy was invaded
Mr. Grant White says sensible things, also about
different sort Of intrusion Of personality into Journal
ism, namely the common expectation that "a critic
will always praise the work Of his friends That critics
often do this thing doubt true but the exceptional
Journalists who know favor little they know fear,
are more numerous, truly believe than Mr.. Grant
White seems TO imagine. He has lived in an honored
position on the borders OF the profession has but an
imperfect knowledge OF It's interior He showed that in
his essay last month, when he described news
| paper as he thought it ought TO be; he shows
again this month when he says that the leading papers
are all so nearly alike in the matter Of news that one
does not differ this respect materially from another
We dare say great many sensible people think so, and
would be surprised If they knew, all practical journal
lists do know what great difference there is between
rival papers every day ~ mai news in local reports in
special ieegraphic News In everything except the Asso
cated Press dispatches which form very small portion
OF the contents of daily paper Readers know that one
paper better than another least that they prefer
one to another, but they seldom stop TO consider
why. Again Mr.. Grant White, it seems TO
us, takes wrong view Of journalism when
ne LAYS IL down as rule that the distinction which