The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-05
Fraud in Journ alism.


The occasion Is an article in the EUening
Post disciaimiug venality and pretending
to great respect for what 1t calls the de-
cencics of Journalism. The Times had
charged that the political opinions of its
contemporary were regulated by the pat
rouage of it's job-printing ONCE, and gave
instances of such sympathetic relation
ship.
We are sorry to say that the Times
Is too nearly right The largest owner
and the practical controller Of the
EUentng Post Is Mr.. ISAAC HENDERSON,
man who, as Naval Agent In this
city during the war, took in brides,
from persons OF whom he bought vast
thousands of dollars. He was prosecuted
by the Government, but escaped punish
ment by legal technically. SO he got off
with all the money. and was enabled 70
buy n larger share of the Ercning Post
than he then owned. The venerable Mr.
BRYANT is known as the editor, but his
great years and well won honors entitle
him to rest, and he Is not able to give much
attention to the paper SO ISAAC HEM
DERsoN runs the concern, aud his career
as Naval Agent indicates how he must
run IL. He has lost successfully as
managing editors Mr.. CHARLES NoRD-
uoFF. Mr.. ARTHUR G. SEpowrcK, and Mr.
ALBERT G. BROWNE, Jr.-all, as is gen.
orally understood, because they would
not carry out his peculiar purposes. Now,
however. he breaches a sermon on jour
nalistic decency," directed at the Times
q newspaper which is as honorable rs IL is
able, and an exponent Of real self-respect-
ing Journalism.
Answering this man. the Times says
cit Is q singular fact that the New York
newspapers which are most given to writ
ing homilies about journalistic 'decenoy
are precisely the papers which are con-
trolled by influences OF a more or less dis
reputable character" The fact is true
but 10 is not singular. All frauds are
necessarily pretenders. 1t is the man Of
dubious social position who boasts most of
bis fine acquaintance and talks most about
his mythical lineage. IL Is the fellow
dressed beyond his breeding who feels the
need to proclaim himself gentleman"
1t 10 the intruder among people Of refine
ment who Is fondest of descanting on
couture" and society" 1t rs the man
Of little learning who talks and writes the
most ponderously. The genuine man goes
about his business and lets his works attest
his quality.
As an unparalleled instance OF New
York journalistic fraud and hypocrite, the
Times names JAY GoULD's Tribune. This
IL a judicious selection. That newspaper
Is humbug from top to bottom and oil
through. 1t has neither intellectua, vigor
nor genuine honesty. 1t is the pretentious
and turgid preacher of truth and pro-
priety, and yet It's opinions are owned ana
used by JAY GOULD for stock jobbing
purposes, while he also keeps them for sale
TO the highest bidder among politicians.
II lies about Its circulation ana wears a
face Of solemn sham.
This newspaper humbug, 80 hollow that
q slight rap with your knuckles brings out
@ doleful sound. has retained about IL n
few men who claim to have high regard
for their regulations, and ask us to give
them an honorable place among our men
of letters. One of these men, q poet, went
TO Panama on an errand from JAY GOULD,
TO run down the Panama Railroad. An
other, also poet and a writer about for
eign countries, though stakeholder and
victim in this dsgraced newspaper
has no word OF reproach or protest to
utter, but is willing TO work for JAY
GoULD's pay.
But does fraud prove successful in jour
nalismf Will not the public at length dis
cover IL, and withdraw their respect from
the vendors OF it, Humbug of the preten-
tious sort, moral otliquity, intellectual
feebleness, shallow judgment, and shoddy
presumption are bound to take the bottom
out Of any paper. This is why JAY
GoULD's Tribune has swallowed n million
OF his dollars, and yet is still hopelessly
losing money. This is why IL must pinch
and saw. - every direction, Ill up with
dead advertising, discharge third OF its
type oompositoTs, reduce the salaries Of its
writers, and lose the services of some OF
the best Of them. II 1t had continued
what 10 once was, simple, honest,
straightforward, earnest paper, vigor-
ously and ably conducted, instead OF
q sly, tricky, venal, shoddy, silly, and
gushing sheet, II would have been worth
much money to-day, though it would have
had no tall tower no young editor, and no
clock. The forty-nine shares of the stock
Of the concern now held by other persons
than JAY GOULD would have been valua-
BILE property, yielding regular dividends,
whereas now the certificates are not worth
the paper they are printed on So far as
they have approved and assisted in carry
ing out the policy OF JAY GoULD's stool
pigeon, these stockholders have assisted
JAY GOULD in getting their property away
from them without paying them a cent for
1t. Practically, he is now the sole owner
of the Tribune. for ne can any day insti-
tute proceedings TO take possession of the
whole concern. The owners of the forty
nine shares may as well take out their GER
tifcates OF stock, gaze at them with n lin
gering look of sadness, and then stuff them
In the rag bag. Chesapeake and Ohio
bonds are frst-class, dividend-paying
Investment compared with them.
Alleged Bribery at Albany.
Rumors OF brides offered, brides taken