The New York herald., 1875-10-23
Modern journalism.

death were fitting tributes TO the memory Of
a man who, 50 far as his old associates are
aware, never made an enemy, and journal
ist Who by universal recognition, had sim
gular aptitude for that function Of jour
nalism to which the active part of
his lfe was devoted. Our own sense of
Mr. Hudson's character and services has been
expressed by writer's who were long associ-
ated with him, and need not be repeated
I here. lie was "a man born to be loved, .
and 1t Is gratifying TO those who had the
best opportunities of knowing him that he
made the same impression on men whose ac-
| quaintance was more casual that he has left
on themselves, who saw him in all hours and
al moods through the years of his activity.
His conscientiousness, his loyal fidelity to
every honorable obligation, his cour-
tcsy, not superficial and put on
for occasions, but springing from the
perennial kindness of his nature, are quail
ties 20 which all members of the press who
were brought into personal relations with
him bear testimony with varying degrees Of
warmth proportional to the intimacy Of their
acquaintance, but with unbroken unanimity.
To his faculties as an organizer of the ma
chinery for gathering news the testimony has
been equally uniform and admiring; but a
portion Of the press has availed itself of what
i, no doubt. fitting occasion for expressing
a critical comparative estimate of the prov
ince Of journalism in which Mr.. Hudson ex-
cellcd. This is fair topic of discussion,
upon which we may, perhaps, be INDUCED
in adding our views TO those of our contem-
poraries.
Even if II were conceded, as some Of
our contemporaries maintain, that the
\ prompt publication of important news
is not the highest function of jour
nalism, the concession would not de-
/ tract from merits of journalists whose
gifts lie in that particular direction. A great
/ journal, as journals are now organized, cam
not be conducted without diversified as
semblage of talents and such a division and
apportionment Of labor as to assign to each
man the task for which he is best fitted.
Journalism is as various as literature, and
although Shakespeare could not have writ
ten Paradise Lost" nor Milton have writ
ten Hamlet or "Othello," nor either of
them have produced the essay on the Hu-
man Understanding, it is no derogation
from the credit of an author that he is great
only in his own department.. A newspaper
employs every kind of talent. 1t owes its
4 success not merely to the editor
who sits at the central receptacle of
news; nor to the vigilant domestic
and foreign correspondents whose letters
explain the news which they communicate
nor to the able specialists who are subsidized
to write on questions of law, finance or
science when these happen to engage public
attention; nor to the picturesque descriptive
writers employed ON scenic occasions !; nor
to the dramatic, musical and literary critics
nor to the reporters of legislative proceedings
and judicial trials nor to the Industrious
cullers Of local news T; nor to the corps of
editorial writers but to the combined activ-
ity of men whose faculties and attainments
are as various as the multiform affairs
of the world, Of which only their
joint labors can give complete
and lifelike picture. 1t hence follows that
a public journal is immeasurably greater
than any individual man employed on it.
/
of remark which implies that journalist is
defective because he has not shown equal
excellence in every branch of 50 diversified
profession.
We also dissent from the estimate Of some
of our contemporaries who rank an able
purveyor Of news below a sagacious
expounder Of its significance. 1t is
the indispensable qualification of the
director Of public journal that
he be sound and prompt judge of the
value of news. How else shall he know
what to instruct his correspondents and sub
ordinates to report? How else shall he know
what space and prominence he ought to give
to particular features of the news. and dis
crininate between that which requires elab-
crate comment and that which only
deserves passing mention? The part Of a
newspaper which requires the most consum-
mate sagacity and comprehensive knowledge
is the forecasting preparations for furnishing
every kind Of news with promptness, giving
to each fulness proportioned TO
its value. To discharge this function ably
requires wide knowledge Of what is going
on or is likely to happen in every depart
ment of human activity in every part of the
world, and man must have an intuitively
sound judgment, as well as great knowledge
of contemporary affairs, to anticipate and
provide for the demands of public
curiosity and discriminate between oc-
currences which crafty love of
novelty and those which affect i'm
portant interests. The editorial page assists
the public in estimating tho value and bear
ing Of the news; but if this estimate had not
been previously made by tho director Of tho
journal he could not have provided for
prompt publication Of the news with suitable