New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-30

The Lancet, PdH-uaU Gazette, ana one vi
two other respectable English journals, have
lately undertaken voluntarily the once Oh
scavengers, and are essaying to sweep clean
the English press of the garbage with winch
it is tainted. They have succeeded Deyohu
the hopes of decent people. obscene adVer-
tisements and police reports, NC, are Delhg
quietly excluded from the leading LONDON
Journals 1t is too much to hope, we suppose,
that any such reform can be accomplished
here. The class of people who delight in the
open prllrient details of divorce trials, anu
advertisements which hint at details still more
foul. are in this country cultured enough 10
demand from their mornings paper aiohg
with this vile food, the best order of political
and social news Hence some OF the news
papers which show the most energy III COM
handing high talent in their reporters OF
editorial corps, yet give place to lndecency
both gross and revolving because 1t pays; ana
as long as it does pay they will doubtless
continue to do so. The ordinary newspaper
after all, only reflects society; when that Is
purged of filth, its columns VIII become less
filthy.
There is another error, into which only petty
journalists fall. which is harmful perhaps only
to themselves, but which is ludicrous enough
to men of more experience In the business:
we mean the habit of incessant self-audatlon.
A man with large capital OF concelt, leaVeheu
by more or less brains, feels himself born 10
be a leader and teacher among men. Nhat
better pulpit is open to him than the editor
shin of a daily journal' He also, of course,
desires to earn his bread and butter, and as
much more of the pOmps and yanitles OF lie
"a can be obtained. Now common sense IL
experience be wanting, would teach the man
that people must buy in newspaper, as over
their grocer's counter, the worth of their
money, or they cease to buy. They want
news; they want ideas; they may want OF not
obscene advertisements; but in any case they
must have that which is of interest either 10
them personally OF the world at large. what
does our aspirant do! Uses his petty sheet
as q pedestal on which to throne his petty
self, who, to either his readers or
the world, does not weigh feathers
weight. Morning after morning he poses,
gesticulates, crowns himself unweanedly,
rolls his own name like a sweet mOrsel under
his tongue He presents himself untiringly IN
| different costumes, crying out shrilly, How do
"you like me in thisP" He appears as victim
of lifelong conspiracy, as victor over power
| full enemies, as the hero of modestly dis
| claimed love affairs. He is the Gladiator,
Caesar, Leander, by turns. His party, he In
| forms the country one day, is without
| leader; he dominates and elects himself.
| Browning with Spartan firmness on the next,
| he folds his arms and defes man or govern
| ment TO tempt him with office. Events which
hold the world breathless pass around him;
the country may pause before the commission
of great crime; Europe may be on the
verge of continental war, which will shake
the earth to its foundations; but our little
man is blind to all but his own little self.
"Look at me-" he cries to every passer-by.
"LoOk at me-" If he is so fortunate as to
have an enemy he dismOunts sometimes from
his pedestal, and hoists his opponent on it. He
calls on the world again and again to stand
still to hear his account of the fight, which,
in fact, concerns or interests the public as lit
tie as the purring of two cats at night lie is
not daunted by the silence that meets him
that no one has yet thought it worth while to
give him a word of reply; his theme is never
worn OUT he is never tired, like Mrs. farley,
of exhibiting his figures in new lights. He
| has but twO-his own and that of his enemy.
| "This, ladies and gentlemen, is the great ed
itor, Stun, who would not be President.
"Ask any man what my paper has done for
him, and if he's an honest man he raises his
"eyes to heaven and besses the name of
Stun. And this is Jasper PackermertOn of
atrociOus memory-a striking likeness. OBJ
serve that his fingers are curled as in the
act of stealing, and his face is represented
"with wink, as he appeared when commit
ting his barbarous MURDERS
| You may find this little man and his paper
in inland towns, in villages, and even in New
York, where the attrition and friction of
masses of men, and the shrewdness taught by
necessity and press of business, one would
think, would teach any man to keep cOnceit
out of sight, if it was not cured In him alto
| gether. But there is no harder lesson than to
understand the small space which the greatest
among us occupy in the worlds eye. The
newspaper editor is apt to be surrounded by
small corps of admirers, who, if he is young
man, give him exaggerated ideas of his own
| Importance. A few years study of his receipts
will teach him, however, that the public will
pay but little for puffs of himself. They come
to buy his goods of him precisely as they 20
to buy sugar and cheese elsewhere, and find
their editor gesticulating and playing Malvolio
| upon his counter no more fitting or radmir-
able figure than they would their grocer.
|
NOT so FAR BEHINDHAND.