The New York herald., 1875-12-26
/ Taie OF Two CitIes-The Coming
Together OF Modern Civilization.

cate the progress Of modern journalism, as
shown in the bringing together of widely
apart and varying civilizations. The long
postponed and ever vanishing dream of a
republic Of nations and confederation of
races, where each man could sit under his
own vine and fig tree without standing ar
mics to exhaust or privileged class to OPP
press him, may be in a certain sense realized
by the Advancement Of the press. 1t Is in
this sense that journalism becomes. to use
an Oriental figure Of speech, the asylum OF
the world. There are many things pertain
ing to Paris, London and New York with
which neither of them have sympathy.
There are many events Of deep importance
to the people which are of little value to
those outside. But there are other circum-
stances and incidents Of life and manners,
the growth of customs and amusements,
opportunities and achievements, in which,
whether we be Englishmen, Frenchmen or
Americans, we all feel an interest. Their
chronicle becomes the highest development
of news.
Some Of US feel an interest in what is
taking place in the French Assembly. Others
watch with eager eye the ever increasing inn
portance of the Eastern question, the insur-
rection in Herzegovina, the purchase of the
Suez Canal, the paralysis which has fallen
upon Turkish credit, the triumphant tour of
the Prince Of Wales through the tiger jungles
and elephant kraals of India and who see IN
it all the dawning phenomena of an issue
that may in time wrap the world in fire and
battle smoke. These great questions will
never cease to interest us as long as we have
a common civilization. In their discussion
and solution are involved questions that
come home to the humblest life, to the din
ner table and the days labor and the wages
at the end of the week. But these are not
the questions which bring theworld together
War, when it comes out of them we accept
with amazement and grief as we would an
earthquake or hurricane. But our concerns
in the daily life of Paris and London are
with the humber things. What do our
friends do across the sea? What wandering
American brother has eaten his Christmas
dinner in the capital of England or France2
What is the latest sensation on the Boule-
latest opera or Sardou's latest comedy?
What are the whisperings of the club, the
salon, the cafe? What was done in the
Partisan theatres on Christmas Ever What
pantomimes shall be played in London to-
morrow? What wonders of toys and fancy
articles were turned out by the tasty and
skilful French workmen for the delight of
Il. ok1< Vhnk
was done in the churches at midnight in
Paris and London? Who preached at West
minister Abbey? What new pulpit light
struggles for the surplice of Lacordaire in the
French capital? What the London Times
thinks of Christmas in 1875? These are the
questions in which we all have an interest.
They come to our freside and our tea table.
Therefore, when the HERALD publishes, as
it does this morning, its modest and some
what gossiping chronicle of yesterdays life
across the sea, it must not be supposed that
we demean our office as news gatherers. IF
there were wars to be chronicled these col
umns would tell in full detail the sad and
CHASTITY story. But we accept the fact
that with the cable at our bidding
our Office is to tell to-day what
took place yesterday, be it love or
hate, war or peace, battle or q serenade
Thus it is that journalism marks the prog
ress Of our civilization. Representing the
people, it becomes our duty to respect their
wishes, to make every agency of science
our messenger. If Fifth avenue or the Bow
cry must know to-day what was said or seen
yesterday on the Boulevard or Strand, then
it is our duty TO crafty that wish. 1t is Of
no consequence whether these gossiping de-
spatches cost q penny or a dollar a word
The journal must accept that cost as its OBJ
legation to its audience which is the coun-
try. The progress of modern journalism
makes possible any achievement known to
science or enterprise The finding of
Livingstone, the expedition to the poles,
the tracing out of the Russian con-
quest in Central Asia, may make more
noise throughout the world and OBJ
tain rank among the loftiest trophies of
the press but what we do to-day of its kind
is as much worthy of attention as the more
ostentatious and brilliant successes of the
HERALD.
This we believe, because the time has
come when the representative journal in
New York must print its daily London and
Paris despatch just as we print our daily
despatch from Washington. Thirty years
ago, when the wires were first opened
between Washington and New York, the
trifing bit Of telegraph that was sent from
day To day was looked rpon as an extraya-
CANT and unusual expense. The worthy men
who then presided over our journals viewed
with apprehension the increased cost which
these dispatches entailed. They coyly took
o bit Of news now and them no doubt wish
ing in their inmost soul that such thing