New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-22

ENGLISH JOURNALISM.
is 1T IMPERSONALf


lFRox THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oP THE 1ldbuNkl
LONDON, Sept SOL have had the good fortune W
see full report of Mr.. WattsrsOns very interesting
address on American Journalism, in which be DIS
sasses, parenthetically, English journalism also
THIS contains q more complete statement OF ms
views that subject than the scraps OF ms recent
correspondence, and there are points on which am
tempted 10 comment The first belongs properly IN
my letter on The TSme Mr. Watterson thinks
Shakespeare would have been journalist had he
CHANGED to live in these DAYS, aud, casting about Tor
a nneteenth-century Shakespeare, finds him in MIR.
Dion Boucicault 81 wonder" he writes, " that q
man of such varied and large resources Of such Wig
orous current and racy faculties as Dion Bouc-
eault. should be comparatively poor man, wander
ing about the world and writing plays, when he
might he had he bent himself that way, the editor
AZ Tho london Times There could not be more
nerfect illustration Of Mr.. Wattersons fundamental
error in his conception of The Times and ITS position
Mr.. Dion Boucicault is q man of many talents, adj
miraby unfit for post requiring first OF all, sound
Judgment, steadiness and sense OF response
bihty. The Times is a power because IL
is trusted, aud il is trusted because, on
the whole, IT deserves to he trusted, and In
Rlishmen feel safe under It's guidance, sure that
il viii counsel no violence nor rasbness take no
,uddeu new departure and keep the interests and
chance Of it's capsizng in a squall like the Captain
IL carries ballast enough and not too much sail to
ride ont squalls and gales in safety. Mr. Dion Bou-
cicault is conspicuous member Of that band OF Bo-
heInans to be found all over the world who possess
in perfection the opposite Of all these qualities
They have wit and some culture, plenty OF knowl-
edge of the wrong side of the world, views on all
questions and a familiar acquaintance with the ars
which make life failure. Mr.. Bouc'eaut would
edit me Times into bankruptcy in twelvemonth,
and it's readers into a panic long before that. l
wonder at no mistake Mr. Watterson makes about
England and English journalism when find him
regarding such man as the possible head OF the
profession of journalism in England.
Mr. Watterson says English journalism is imper-
sonal" meaning that Journalists as individuals
obscure and expresses the astonishing opinion that
1.-THE English press is conducted by scholarly dunn
mics who dwelling in London, to which the press
~ confined are able TO live reclusve lives and who,
being for the part the employees Of men who pub
fish newspapers as they would traffic IN breadsufs,
are not paid enough or permitted to display costly
and offensive individuality Ofthe errors-nOt errors
of opinion but of fact-witE which that sentence
abounds, ! will deal with one at a time. Who are
the scholarly dummies who lead the life of re-
cuse ] pass over the argnmentatiye answer which
would be complete that no important paper could
and continue to be important | will keep to facts
and persons The editor of The Times is Mr. Deane
make no apology for mentioning him by name or
for writing freely about him. Mr. Delane is as much
public property as Mr. Gladstone and Mr.. Waiter
sons notion that there is any mpersOnalty or uys-
teTy OF secrecy or state of general ignorance about
the editorship of The Times, or of any other mpor-
taut journal is very wide indeed of the truth Mr..
Delane was never before, will venture TO say, ac-
cused of beng recluse. believe spoke of him in
nv last letter as a well-knOwn figure in London
dfawing-roons Few men are better known or bet
ter liked or more often seen, or, naturally enough,
more courted. Mr. Watterson will perhaps admit
that am likely to know something about the mat
ter but he may say that change for the better
has occurred lately in the position of journalists.
No doubt the profession stands higher in pnbhc
esteem and is 10 stand far higher yet; but what say
of Mr. Delane has been true during suppose, the
whole Of his so years editorship We have, at any
rate the best possible evidence that il true i'll
1860 How is il that Mr.. Watterson never heard Of
that extraordinary debate in the House of Commons
in 1900 in which the relations between The Times and
the Ministry were brought in question by Mr. Hofs-
mani Lord PalmeTstOn was then Prime Minister,
aud will quote what he said:
NV right honorable friend has stated that he aid not
know what the influence which drew Mr.. Delanc,
If by that statement ne means to IMPLY wish on my
mart 10 exercise any influence the line Of conduct
which s pursued the of that journal, can only
way In answer this charge IN the words or Mrs. Maa-
prop that should be but glad TO plead guilty to the
soft impeaohmeDt, and 10 know mat the insnuatiom
which 1t involves really founded Oh fact IA laughi
II there are influences which, the right honorable
gentleman SAYS have fortunately led Mr. Deane TO me,
they are none other than the Influences OF society My
right honorable friend has observed IN that glowing
address which he has just delivered 10 us that the con
trbutors 70 the press the favotes and the orna
nents of the social circles into which they enter In
that opinion he E II seems 10 me- perfectly correct
The gentlemen to whom he refers generally speak
inc uersons OF great attachments aud information. It
70 tben bnt natural that their society should be agree
allie NV acquaintance with Mr.. Deane is exactly OF
mat character had the pleasure OF meeting Mr.
Deaue frequently society, and he has occasionally
done me the honor mix IN society under my roof
That society was may add. composed of persons of all
shades OF politics cheersl, Of various pursuits and
need hardly say feel proud when persons honor
without undertaking any other engagement than that
which MI Delane always makes eOod-Oi making them.
selves agreeable during the time OF their stay
model speech in its way; equally honorable 10
Mr. Delane and 10 Lord Palmerston. No private
house in London was more famous than Cambridge
House during Lady PalmerstOu's reign and 50 long
as Long PalmeIstOn lived, and its owners descrip-
tion Of IL was perfectly correct far as IL goes.
Every celebrity was TO BE met there. II would have
been surprising indeed. had Mr.. Deane been ex-
Guided; still more surprising had the fact of his
visiting there been supposed TO put him under any
obligation 10 his host The only suggestion of that
kind ever heard came from disappointed contrib
utor TO The Times who complained that article had
been mutilated; good story at LOBd Malinesburys
expense cut out because Mr. Deane liked to dine at
a.