New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-26
A JOURNALIST HONORED.

Observation-Disclosures SPEECH or Wis f'iNN'-0
irpoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oF THE rRIBuNt'l
loSpoN Dec. Ca dinner was given on Satur-
dav IN Mr. Archibald Forbes, by a number ~ jour
,osts and personal frieads. 1t was meant "a pro-
f,ssional compliment and certainly man has bet
Ter deserved a compliment from his fellow lournal-
ISIS. for no man has lately done more to add as
tipction TO the profession of journalism 10
certain extent this design was carried ont 1t l'h
short of the purpose announced 1t was not rom any
want OF goodwill to Mr.. Forbes nor am sure
from any unwilngneSs on the part of his colleagues
n ION in such a tribute to him. But the manage
ment was not quite perfect. Two or three friends OF
Mr. Forbes To whose zeal some acknowledgment is
dine undertook 10 arrange the dinner. Ihey III
vitcd number OF other journalists 10 act as com
mitiee. and having secured twenty names, among
them some of the best in the profession ad-
yertised the dinner and the committee
and Mr. George Augustus Sala "a char
man. Mr.. Saa, however was not the app1intee OF
the commIttee, which, indeed. was committee
only in name and was never called together nor
consulted Some of it, members felt that their
names were put before the public for purpose to
which they had not consentel. AGAINST Mr.. Sala'
personallv have not a word TO say. He Is man
who has done excellent WORK, and holds dlStn-
gulShed position in journalism. But lie is not q man
whom all the editors ald managers ana leader.
writers On all tho great Journals Oi London coa'o
be expecte TO acccpt as representative ot tie pro
fe,sion. ANY WOW OF London journalism which
should prefer Mr. Sala its tigura-heaI to-tor IN
stance-Nr Frank Hill editor Of The Dd'y
Ne,rs, or to Mr.. Frederick Greenwood, edi-
tor of Pail MaU Gazette Is a groteSqHc view.
The selection of NJ. Sald gave rise 20 the
remark-yery likely an unjust but not an unnatural
one in the circunsa Ices-that she dinner was de-
signed a. much TO confer a compliment on Mr. Saa a.
on MT Forbes As one oi the committee whose names
were used i'm support of TINS arrangement. reel
bound 10 express my dissent from 1t. there Is
reason to suppose, moreover, that the absence or
some Comment journalists due 20 the mistake
thus made; and Of others to the fact That theV
were not asked, or were asked too late 40 member
of The Tiac,'s staff present, unless Colonel
Brackeu5lry, formerly military correspondent IA
Bulgaria. Is 90 be rcckOned as OF thC stan.
For all this, the compliment 20 Mr. Forbes was
sucn as n Is never fore. think, been paid To- an
English journalist by his own profession Ills own
journal, he Daiiy Ncrs, was in great force. IL
editor, Mr. Frank Hi, lis manager, Ar ). i.
Robinson, one of its leadci-writcrs, Dir. Justin
Mccarthy. and Others, joined IN the demonstration.
d.. ". a. Russell, once correspondent Of lie iuAe'
was on the committee, but not AZ the dinner. lie
had been | believe. ask ID 10 preside. bat declined
that delicate position. Mr.. Frederick Greenwood
OF The FoH Mq4 Gazette, WAS both on the committee
and at tlcdinncr. Other wcll-Euown journalists were
rAlrc.non Borthwick editor Of The Morning Ost;
CAPTAIN n III r. famous f1I Bis worl, or the Seven
Weeks War; Mr.. Edward D.Ccy, editor of Ih Obscry-
q; Mr.. Henty, the very able war correspondent OF
The Standard; M J. II. Fyfe Of The Saturday r.
rier; MT. S lney T. HAIL OF The Graphic; N!r. +.
VHHcrs IT Tho Illustrated L0Hd0R Aers air Forbes's
churn during me prs 'nt cauptgn; Vi. L2boucherc'
Mr. Yate~ and Mr. H. W. Lucy, editors Of Truth, li'
JFo-R aad Vq mir. tlc three principal Bon eyari
I. fnt.a urt.f.r IN tp Pal ed
society journals; d.. Max Shlesin-er Of TIE
Cooqac Ga.stn and tie principal Continental
Journalist among those living ~ London; MI ..
Russell Young # Tie Adc-j ork HCyGiG Mr.. NJ. u.
CONWAY; finally Nh J. c. Parkinson, and Mt.
Prank -. Fiui.y who, with Mr. Yates, constituted
the real or executive committee whose labors were
aCkrop lodged az tic end of the dinner in toast
proposed by Lord HougLtoU-pr, sent not hy virtue
OF his rank n the pe,r.gc, Lut as President Of the
Newspaper Press IunG, and also, he was careful 10
poirt out ms ,nau OF letters. The doors were
opened to q few personal friends Of Nj. Forbes,
chief among whom shonc the Duke OF sutherland.
In AZ. $50 guests. The dinner Vas given at VII
liss Rooms. the most fashionable, perhaps, Of all
places Of public diuuers ying Yet where at least,
one principle Of equality is firmly established. BE
the occasion what It mav and tie company no mat
ter hoy brilliant yOu may be- sure OF getting bad
dim or. You must reverse ArtemuS WaIds story
az iS n lei II lhe patnvlic expos udtJh Gtu4tStu
to hun IN Kansas bar-room ia favor of the wnIshey
be was coudemuiug. stranger sad the WcS- |
tcruer, don't say that VAskey Is bad Some /
whskey IS better than other Whi,key but al wills
key is good" At WIllIs's dinners worse than
other dinners, but no dinner is good That of Sat /
urlay was perhaps. rather dcgrcr and rather worse !
than usual. IN composition, in cooking aud ID ser |
vice Pretty much the same criticism must be made /
Of al large public DINNER. this country. They are
ALWAYS bad. WiiiS's is 10 worse than other places,
and better than some. II may be doubted whether |
the human minl Is equal to the effort Of dining $50
people at the same table and dining them well. !
But we do think it need not be quite SO sloyeuly
performance a. il is III England. This complaint !
must not be taken deprecatng the compliment |
10 MIR. Forbes. 1t enhances It. Most Of the men /
went 90 this rcpast knowing what in store for |
them but willing to endure for the sake Of show
ing their admiration for NJ. Forbes
The dinner once eaten or otherwise got ont Of the |
way, came the tOasts Here Mr. Sala was in his |
glory. lie could make many and as long speeches |
as he liked and bis talents as an afteT-dnuer orator
are undemable. What is known in journalism as /
the George Augustus style is extremely well suited
10 a cornwall occasion. Mr. sall's voice. also, il /
powerful and his self-poSsossioH ia circumstances IN
which most Englishnen lose theirs, i mistaken. |
OF hs talent for spreading sOnorous uothugs over
sufficient space, bis speeches 10 the honored but |
hackneyed tIasts TO the Queen and 20 the Army |
aud Navy are as fine examples as could |
be desired. Very different was that in /
which he proposed the toast of the evening |
"Health and long life to our distinguished guest, |
Archibald Forbes, soldier scholar journalist, good |
foll,o- ,,d trre priton S,la hoe e..r, so,,;.o