Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-25

philadelphia Bulletin.l
A person who is evidently behind the
scenes Of New York journalism, rs we'll
as of New York theaters, wrote, lately,
a long letter TO the Times of this city
about a certain New York paper and it's
business. BE did not sign himself
Gath" and therefore be may be sus.
pected Of being a truth-teller rather
than a tr~nth.crushc-. That he is a ma
tive Bohemian cannot be doubted. for
the Bohemian dialect and accent are
strong all through bis letter. he was
pronouncing, with this accent, q warm
eulogium upon the metropolitan" jour.
nal, It's editorial aud its business man.
agement. But he declared, in tones Of
sorrow, that its one weak point was its
dramatic and musical department aud
went on to say that a properly conduct
ed dramatic department was a fortune to
any first class journal of New York;
adding, mo class pay better, none are
so sensitive, as theatricals."
There was a betrayal here OF q person.
al and professional secret, which has
been no secret to Journalists outside Of
New York. The is a business carried
on between New York papers and the
managers and business agents of theatri.
cal and musical stars, of which the pub
lie outside has long been the victim.
The honest advertising of all the thea
ters and concerts in New York at the
regular business rates Of the most i'm.
portant paper, could not be a fortune to
its humblest ofio boy, much less to its
owners Therefore the gentleman from
Bohemia, who writes to our super average
contemporary, must Gave been contem.
plating the available profits Of " critical
notices" at 50 much a line, which he and
his professional brethren cont-iVe to have
inserted in the papers hat employ them.
He is also eontem plating the prices paid
tor not printing notices" abusive Of
plays or artists; for the rates per line for
not printing ale known to be very high
IN some Of the best newspaper Offices in
New York. where "gre..t talent" is EN-.
ployed in the departments OF theatrical
aud musical criticism The laudatory
articles cut from New York papers CON
stitute a large part of the stock in trade
Of the spectators in dramatic or must.
cal genius. Every season there are big
contributions to the vast, basket of
this paper composed of cuttings
from New York papers, which are
sent or brought here by agents of "stars'
with the expectation that we we're pining
for chances to copy metropolitan
opinions on genius and art. There are,
perhaps, 10 some American cities, a few
low fellows who help these New York
schemers, either by repriutiug their
reRdy-made puffs, at 80 much a line, or
printing new ones of their own manufac-
ture at SO much more a line. But il
there is a paper in Philadelphia hal toll.
crates such swlnding, we know not of it,
and the Ignorance is bliss, al. The fact,
however, that a we'll posted New York
correspondent of a very superior Phila.
delphia paper declares, in pure Bob
milan but not pure English, that mo
class pay better, and none are SO seusi.
tive as the -%trieGls," is q confederation oil
all that has ever been alleged or susU ct.
ed Of the m%ercensry character OF the
New York criticisms on music, the
drama, and most of the other arts. If
only the tn %tricals'' and the " music
ais would rebel against this sy stem o
blaokmail, it would be better for Their
fortune as well as their fame, and infn.
itely better for their artistic honor.