The New York herald., 1879-02-14
Political journalism.

evening, to urge upon his audience the i'm
portance OF supporting their party organs III
this city. Cards were passed around giving
those present an opportunity to subscribe
for Mr.. Kellys morning organ. and accord
ing to the report the meeting rapidly
thinned out at that stage of the proceed
ings.
Mr.. Kelly is shrewd politician and an
able man of business, but he has somethingt to
learn respecting the success of newspapers.
1t is creditable to his intelligence that
he recognizes the great part played by the
press in moulding public opinion, but he
does not yet understand the means by
which the modern press exerts its mighty
influence.
The memory Of the celebrated Fletcher
of Saltoun is preserved from oblivion by
his pointed saying, 'Let mo make the songs
of a nation, and l care not who makes its
laws" This saying was uttered before
there was anything deserving the name
Of public press, in an age when songs and
popular ballads were almost the only means
of reaching the popular mind. But tho
sagacity of the remark has re deemed the
memory of man who would otherwise
have been irretrievably forgotten. By the
songs of a nation Fletcher of Saltoun did
not mean stupid doggerel, written in the
interest of party, but productions of
genius, like, for example, the chansons of
Beranger in more recent times which were
so potent in the politics of France because
they touched the deepest chords OF popular
feeling. The political aim without the
genius would have fallen fiat.
Another instructive parallel is found in
the theatre in those bygone ages, when the
stage was great power in stimulating polit-
ical sentiment. The diverting play which is
Just now the rage and the toast of theatre
goers in New York is flimsy enough play,
but it assists us ia realizing the great power
of the stage in those eras when the stage
was the best substitute for the modern
press. There could not be moro apt
this play in London, before it was trans
planted to New York, was owing to
its effective satire on Mr.. Smith, the enter
prising newsdealer, who was SO surpris-
ingly put at the head Of the Admiralty. But,
although the satire is pointless in this
country, the farce, or opera, or whatever
you choose to call it, is so amusing and 80
abounds in happy hits that the drollery
makes it infinitely popular even in
country where the audiences fail to per.
ceive the main point of the satire.
1t is easy to see how the rollick-
ing fun Of such performance must
have contributed to its political effect
upon London audience. But nothing
could have been more tame and insipid than
On invective against the appointment OF
London newsdealer as First Lord Of the
Admiralty if the play had had no merits rs
popular entertainment. Its effectiveness
as q satire depended on its drollery as q
play. Apart from the comic talent, which
attracted laughing crowds, this farcical play
as mere political diatribe would have
fallen fat and have made no impression.
Let us apply these illustrations to the
publication Of newspapers. A newspaper
which has nothing to recommend it but its
politics must necessarily bore its readers.
1t is like Fletcher OF Saltoun's songs with
out the genius which take the populay
heart captive. It is like play seens
sisting Of mere invective, without the drell-
cry and comical hits which force people to
laugh who care nothing for the main pur-
pose of the satire. Mr.. Kelly as journalist
resembles n song writer whose productions
have no power to kindle; he resembles
playwright who thinks mere invective will
be accepted as substitute for the enlivening
power by which an audience is captivated.
A modern newspaper differs from the old
methods Of stirring popular sentiment by
appealing to its appetite for news and
novelty. Everybody desires the earliest in
telligence of what is going on in the world,
and it is the great object of our present
journalism to minister to this eager curiosity.
The journals which most promptly and CO.
piously satisfy it are the most success
ful, and the time is past when any
other description of Journalism can Sc
cure public attention. A great jour
nal is universal news gathcrer,
universal truth teller. 1t cannot afford to
have any aims which are inconsistent with
its telling the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth, let the truth wound
or help whom it may. Every other kind of
journalism is obsolete and behind this age
Of expensive telegraphs and more expensive
ocean cables. The day is long past when
any newspaper (falsely so-called) can gain
and keep public attention by the everlast-
ing reiteration of dull political platitudes.
The Ecening Express is pleased to say of
the HERALD: ''The HER MD is great paper.
1t is one of the institutions of the city. 1t
is really independent, and II it helps the
democratic cause it is because the truth
compels it to do So" SO far US the simple
unvarnished truth may help any party
the HrRALD may help it, but the
HERALD is as Indifferent rs to whether.