The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-20


Impose anything upon puollc opinion, their bust
ness being not to dictate OF prescribe anything
to the public, but simply to give expression to
the conclusion 1t has already formed. This is one
Of the reasons why popular agitations and pub
lie meetings have obtained such n stronghold
among the Anglo Sax on race. They are supple
meuts and corrocuves OF the work which
legitimately should be performed by the
newsn.p per press. Men Ike Bright and Golden,
when they began their political career, would
never have been aLle to say in an English news
paper one tenth Of what they said on the ros-
trum. Dean Stanley and Sturgeon would has
been expelled from the ONCE Of any paper VI
they had attempted mot now, Of course, but
years ago. when their authority was not so well
established) 10 write anything similar to what
they say ex oathedra. Nay, men like John Stu
art MIL, Herbert Spencer, Tyndall, ind Huxley
have frequently mot with difficulty In giving ex-
preston to their views In the English papers
and up to the present moment the theories and
ideas Of these men can still not be brought into
the columns OF most Of the English pauers I'M
less II DO under the cover OF their authoritative
signatures.
On the Continent Of Europe, on the contrary,
the whole work Of social, political, and intellec-
tual progress has been done by the daily press.
however defective its organs always were, and
stu are, az newspapers. Men lke BiFne. tcine,
U.rzen, Armand Cdrrel or Silvio iellico have
never addressed a public meeting; CASTELAR,,
Thiers, and Mazzni have done much more
through their newspaper writings than they
could have ever been capable OF doing by means
OF their oratorical efforts.
The result OF all this is obvious. A system like
the English could not help producing most
business-hke press, admirably managed, excel
lenty Informed In matters OF news, but without
any Of the elements calculated to spread cul-
ture OF to foster general progress and often
without a semblahce Of literary talent OF any
sort. In fact, talent, except when OF purely
descriptive nature, available for picturesque re-
porting, is objected to In the English press, for
It implies independence OF thought and orlRi
nality Of manner In expressing II: and both are
considered to be unsuitable for a daily newspa-
per, whose business It is supposed to he to sell
matter of-fact news, and such comments upon
II as the existing current of public opinion
might suggest-which in nine cases out OF ten
simply means to humor the prejudices and erro-
neous ideas already established In the commu-
nifty. On the other hand, the Continental sys-
tenn produces a most unbusness like crowd OF
publications. some OF them very short-lived,
most OF them mserably poor so far az foreign
news goes, and frequently piisinformed even
erting their best efforts TO spread general cul-
ture. to develop literary and artistic tastes, and
all ~ them certain rather to spoil talent by over
pettinl than to sti0e II, and just certain to
sacrifice every pecuniary advantage to the cause
! they have, rightfully or wrongfully, chosen to
serve.
In the one case only the money Of an anony-
nous news vender IL engaged in the other the
names Of men and their personal as well rs pro-
fessional honor are at stake. That makes all
| the differences but tremendous difference 1t
Is In many Of its consequences.
The English newspaper system, combined with
eertain peculiarities OF the British national
acter, has produced a very curious state OF
al IRIS. Here is an illustration There scarcely
| posses day without one or more human beings
| dying of starvation In the happy realm OF her
| Britannia MsJesty. The newspapers mention
| such facts only In cases where they cannot help
| doing 1t, and even then the statement Is
made in as few words possible. In small
type, somewhere In out-of-the-way cor
ner OF the paper. The theory OF Eng
| lish editors, so admirably formulated one day
| by Mr.. Delane OF the Times, is that editing
| means much less the selection OF what is to be
| put into the paper than the selection OF what IL
| to be kept out" Unpleasant facts like cases OF
starvation are, In accordance with this theory
TO be kept out Of the paper. On the Other
hand there are Others, about which Eng
llsh editor Is never tired Of writing anC
his public OF reading. / remember that
few years ago Queen Victoria, anxious I,
regain the popularity she had begun TO los,
by her secluslon, and TO secure the Parliamen
tqry vote OF fresh money allowances to some o
her children, resolved to take drive through
Victoria Park park of the common people
Well, all the English newspapers found IL posi-
BILE to print daily several columns on this sub
Ject for about fortnight before the drive tool
place and for fortnight after.
on the.Continent this order OF things woul
have been quite reversed. A similar drive OF a
Emperor or a King would have been noticed Il
couple of lines, while cases OF starvatlo
would have been recorded In columns upo
columns; and before a dozen Of such case
could have taken place, the newspapers mieh
have brought on revolution aud upset tn
whole government machine.
i do not say which OF the two courses Is tn
more reasonable, neither do intend to expires
any personal sympathy for this or that system
NV object is simply to state facts, and to sho,
the result OF the two different orders OF thing
Thanks to the Herald. It has become almo.
impossible TO speak Of the intellectual depar
ment OF newspaper otherwise than in a com
cal sense. Yet there can be no DOUBT tina
taken as a whole, the daily press has done niue
more for the progress OF the world In its capac
~ as a vehicle OF ideas, than IN Its cap city a
vehicle Of news. Among essential
mercantile. seafaring, ana colonizng race Tx
the Anglo-SaXon. current matter-of-fact new
has a vital national importance, and thus natui
ally becomes the great pivot OF the press. Still
even IN this case the progressive Influence OF n
the News Letters" and " Mercuries' taken e
Rether Is nowhere when compared with the IT
nuen e Of one good didactcal or critical articl
OF Addison, steele, Swift, Defoe, wilkes, Juniu
Sidney Smith, Bolingbroke, or Brougham. Sine
those days things have greatly changed. UnmC
Tested 10y the Government, the English pres
, took from the beginning Of this century tn
strictly practical and business shape II pc,
sesses now, and It becomes perfectly pul
zling to compare tho relative numb,
J OF illustrous names produced during Ia
period of time by the Continental new
paper system on the one hand an
the English on the other. with the exceI
ton of Charles Dickens, who was a parliamer
tary reporter, Of Charles Lamb, Lord Cam
bell, and Sir James Macintosh, who al
the men OF any reputation who have bee