The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-04-22
NEWSPAPERS.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN TYPES OF
JOURNALISM coNTRASTED.
The London Times centenniai-A Mirror
of Public Opinion-The System In
This Country Overburdened
with Views"
[cor. BROOKLYN Eagle. ]

trated by the way in which The Times .cele-
brated, or rather omitted to cele brate, its
centennial
1t is not worth while to name names, but
you know very well what some of your enter
prising contemporaries that had attained
so venerable an age would have done to COM
memorate the event The esteemed - or
would have published fac simile OF Its
first number. 1t would have printed
prolix account of its origin and growth, to-
gether with biographical sketches of all the
persons who had been connected with 1t In
an important way. 1t would have pub
lished long dissertations to magnify its power
and influence and to explain its long contin-
ued hold upon popular favor. In order to
do all this it would not have hesitated to
triple or quadruple its customary size.
What did The London Times actually do?
1t dismissed its centennial in less than a
dozen lines. The American managing editor
who should so grossly neglect so brilliant an
opportunity would expect to be asked to send
in his resignation the next day. Upon the
slightest provocation a comparatively OBJ
scure journal in this country would make
more of an uproar about itielf than the
great London paper has made during the
whole century of its existence. Yet there
must be something in the method of The
Times, for it has secured an unapproachable
success, not only in weight and respectable
ity, but from the point of view of mere
money.
In the dozen lines have mentioned The
Times refers to one rule of conduct by
which it says it has been constantly
controlled. 1t has always been "inde-
pendent of government favor and party
influence" There will be no dispute any
where as to the wisdom of this course
The most rancorous partisan sheet in this
country, the concern which could not ex-
list but for the concession of official advertis-
ing and the patronage of politicians, will talk
loudly of "the independence Of the press"
The old fashioned party organ has so far lost
popular favor that the journalist must pre-
tend to despise such organship even if he de-
ponds upon it for the breath of life.
But the claim which The Times puts forth
In its own behalf, however well founded,
does not alone account for its wonderful sue
cess. During its hundred years of prosperous
existence scores of heroically independent
Journals have gone down to death. 1t would
not be necessary to look as far as London to
find examples of editors who starting with
| the highest hopes and the most aggressive
conscience, have sacrificed to the latter the
remnant of slender circulation and encoun-
tered dismal disaster The Times, in addi-
| ton to deliberate and wise independence
| of government favor and party influence,
| has developed an extraordinary adaptability
to public opinion. 1t is not too much to say
| that its remarka bic career is founded on the
| diligent practice of this art.
Harper's Weekly expresses a long settled
| and general conviction of intelligent Oh
| servers when it says that The London Times
has been "the organ Of the dominant public
opinion of the country" 1t has seldom
| sought to entertain views of its own OF t6
impress such views upon its leaders 1t has
| endeavored to discover, in advance of any
| body else-just as it has sought to get the
| news of the world-what the majority were
thinking and saying on the question of the
| hour and to make the most effective aSser
ton OF these words and thoughts. When il
hits the idea of the majority-as it usually
has done-it is sure of the favor Of the ma
jority; because there is nothing the most o.
us like so much as to read in our favoritt
paper what we already believe. Those o
US who enjoy reading articles solely for TIT
way in which they are done, and apart from
our substantial acceptance or rejection o
their notions, are very few in numbers.
OF course this policy of the leading Eng
lish journal is time serving; but it is tim
serving on magnificent scale. Our OWL
newspapers seem to be ignorant of the art
1t is not the result of superior conscientious
ness Many of them would like TO be tint
serving in large way if only they knew
how
The weakness of the American press whic
distinguishes it from the first-class Englis
press, as represented by The London Times
Is an intense self-consciousness. 1t is desti
tute of repose--the flower of all the arts
Every newspaper, whether printed in tn
metropolis or in a remote rural district
whether born yesterday or early in the Ger
fury, is moved to pronounce woe upon itsel
if it lead not somebody somewhither.
fears that it will be rejected as destitute c
: convictions if it does not give itself up
} consta mt and passionate assertion Of on
thing or another-it matters little what, S
long as the method of affirmation be suff
GENTLY vehement and persistent. The Graz
for leadership involves some results whic
may be worth noting by and by.
II the common apprehension of The Time:
! policy be correct it is the reverse of this; an
steadfast adherence to the policy has, pei
haps, more than anything else to do with il
remarkable success. Of course, it has bee
diligent and liberal newsgatherer, else
could not have been great newspaper
set an example for all daily journals in TIL
, particular; but although it was first in I'll
! field, able rivals have appeared, who hav
succeeded sometimes in "beating" it. But
: has been unequaled in another cleaning a.
tivity-the gathering of opinions and the
q faithful reflection. 1t owes perhaps more
. this than to its expenditure and enterprise
harvesting facts. The radical difference b
!. tween it and our journals lies just here TIL
s Times is content to be the mirror of though
+ But, some person of acute intellectual col
= scientiousness will exclaim under Il
4 London policy you have a great jou
nal without opinions Well, The Tim
would reply il it cared for anything of tn
7 sort, what business has great journal wit
opinions of its owDl 1t is the public alor
u that Is bound to have opinions. The journi
represents the public. It is bound to fiji
II out what the opinions are and set the
C forth, just as it searches for facts and report
them
At all events there are certain advantag
flowing from The Times policy which ma
is be readily apprehended. 1t makes f
dignity, decency, self respect, judici
mindedness-all valuable, staying qualitie
) It is free from personalities and it new
loses its transformations which insure Il
newspapers permanence and make It an e
q tablished institution. The Times may tai
wrong views of things it may make predi
tions which fall far short of verification, b
d it never becomes ridiculous Free from &
st small vice of consistency, it not only is ind
" ferent to the hot scorn WHICH is heaped up
r men and journals that change their opinion
p but adapts itself tShew circumstances al
o views as readily as the polished surface l
:. produces the passing panorama of the stret
Il never hesitates and it never apologize
So it happens that the great London new
= paper grows deeply in English soil. becau
!, it is no more cast down by political chang
u than the British oak is destroyed by t
ID variations of the weather The sunshine
re summer and the storms of winter, to viii
lie it submits itself with equal alacrity, ser
alike to tougher its fiber and strengthen
roots What has the oak to do with "viev
Ie on the climates