, 1874-07-19
4 HARD CASE,

That lmp0tent newspaper, the Chicago Times,
WAS yesterday covered all over with sore boils
They had broken out in every department Of the
paper, but tho worst specimens we're in the ed
itorial and city co1umns, while the aged proprie-
tor Of the concern was q complete carbuncle
from head to foor. 1t was al on account Of their
failure to get up decent report OF the
fire. The Tines account Was so poor
that even tins country press are railing
at it.. It appears that the Associated
Press reporter was kept at home Tuesday even-
ing by the dangerous illness OF member of his
family, and his locuna tenens made up his report
from the scanty facts and liberal 1ighfalutin Of
the Times, and gave credit therefor to that
paper. Consequently the outside press got
nothing but wild gossip and incoherent bombast,
end were compelled to wait TIL TIE TRIBUNE
came along the next day in order to get at the
real facts. Hero is what the Burlington Haeck-
Eye says about it:
II the agent Of the Associated Press had confined
himself strictly to collecting and transmitting
news and not made such hercuean attempts at rhe-
torca figures aud flights Of fancy his report would be
more businessnke End Ineligible. Chicago nothing
not sensational and the panic Of the occasion seeus
to have entered the sou! Of the AGENT and no en-
veopod the confagradon in cataract Of words that
fairly Set the e1citabe population Of Burlington On fire
with the infection Of their lutid phrGseolo1y AZ was
to be expected the Later dispatches supplenentng the
pocucal doufishes and batting efforts vivid descfip-
tive narrative reduced the limits and ra1agea Of the
fire considerably. 1t WAS bad enough no doubt with
the aid Of pAnicsricken pencil and it would be well
If the agent would at the next fire. sond the facts and
le: the nighcditors put in the flights OF unrestraine
genius. 1t will be noticed TINT, In his frenzy to ex-
e:ute columns 0f vivid word painting the agent forgot
to locate the origin Of the fire, which Wis COM
municated TO us by special dspatch from our own
correspondent hours before It occurred to the excited
Chicagoan.
The most dismal fate that can oyertake man
ia to grow old without Belf-respect. This is the
fate which has overtaken the editor of the Times
and his newspaper gives daily evidence Of it.
especially when any important news is stirring.
If it happens to be something where smut will
not answer the purpose, but where straghtfor-
ward, intelligent work is wanted, there is sure to
be q breakdown, especially il the chief editor
bosses the job, as ho did On Tuesday
night. And for the next two or
three days the whole establishment is
in the grosgy condition Of q burnt-out bagnio
This is the present plight OF the Tines. Nor
can we SEQ any hope of amendment, since the
Times is the complete and explicit reflex Of q
MN who is losing all powers except that Of
hlackguardsm- In any case where virtue ia to
be roriled, or some innocent girl or sorrowing
widow to be blasted in reputation, the Times is
equal to the emergency, but in the several de-
partments OF legitimate journalism it has lost
vigor and caste pari pass,. with its editor, and
must continue to do go till the end.