The Indianapolis journal., 1885-08-02

ever mentioned the subject I interviewed
prominent editor of a London daily, and here is
a sketch Of our conversation:
why don't you take the subject up!'
because we should have to go down into the
gutter with the Pail Mall"
But you could avoid its language, its horrible
words, and it's physical details"
He who toucheth pitch-you know the rest"
"But are the stories truef'
Eyes, some of them aud such things will occur
as long as the world lasts. You have only to
look into Fielding's novels to see what was done
in his day; even The Vicar of Wakefield sug
gests it, but they were women, not scarecrows
According to the Pail Mall the victims here
miserable, half starved children, and they
devoured By rich old gentlemen. he'd down by
ogres. while rich old gentlemen commit physical
impossibilities. My dear sir, the Pail Mall man
has frightfully exaggerated. In population OF
FIVE millions of people there must be horrors
and believe London is pure compared with
Paris and Vienna and vii! bear comparison for
virtue with New York. We make bad outside
show; our streets at night are disgracetul, but
we compel these poor creatures TO ply their
calling in the streets. while Paris, Vienna. Chi
cago. New York, set streets apart for the vice.
and what would the world say if some secret
commissioner unveiled those dens of iniQuityl
My dear friend, the Pail Mall has overdone it.
and for the little good it has done it has done
vast amount of harm
And yet you don't propose to protest against
itl'
1--WE don't propose to touch it..
And up to the present moment the letter am
writing is, SD far l know the only journalistic
Interpretation of the general educated opinion OF
London upon this topic of the moment. have
heard it discussed at the clubs, In smoking
rooms, and in the lobby of the House Of Com
mons, and the views am now giving you rep
resent the opinions Of thinking men and Travelled
men, and / am with them. The Pail Mall has
established a kind of fear among writer's, states
men and orators 1t has given such picture OF
the dark side of hoasted civilization that
men appear to be afraid to be regarded 40 apol
ogists for immortality if they say anything about
the method in which the details Of 1T have been
published but when they have had a little
breathing time they will possibly ask Mr.. Stead,
who poses as a martyr TO duty, a few questions.
Mr.. Stead is the editor of the Pail Mall, and
Mr. Yates Thomson, an extreme Radical, is the
proprietor MIR. Stead is the son of a Congre
gational preacher and is undoubtedly man of
ability, and far be it from my intention to say he
is not sincere in the belief that he is
doing the right, thing. nave
to his spirited editorship of the Pail Mall, to his
introduction of interviewing and pictures; and
| reported the alleged fall in his circulation,
owing to his supposed alliance with Russia. The
Times, it will be remembered, cast some refiec
tions upon the honesty of his defense Of Russia,
and he only scoffed at the I'll 5 In reply. 1t an
interview Of Mr.. Stead, which has appeared in
the Morning News, Of Paris, is correct, Mr..
Stead made rather q weak admission when he
said to the interviewer that he wished the au-
thorities would arrest hint would be certain
victory for the cause | uphold and
the very best advertisement for the paper
upon which Mr.. Ives Qate of the New York
Times and the New York Herad), the e0itor,
remarks This last phrase reveals the ruling
passion. We are inclined to think that the pas
sion of the editor of the Pail Mall Gazette for
good advertisement will Overreach itself In
Saturdays paper Mr.. Stead publishes the fol-
lowing editorial note
"Independent arrangements have been made
by the American press for the republication on
that continent of our articles on The Maiden
Tribute of Modern Babylon In pursuance OF
this arrangement the Central News last night
teleeraphed the first installment to America to
the extent of l0, 900 words"
In the same edition of the paper there are sew
era letters approving the work, and | notice
among the indorsers of the crusade gentle
Simon Pure ne assumes to be. Is it possible
that some of the scoundrels of London will try
and protect themselves ia this way2 Hypocrisy
is big cloak, but it is not always efficient In
hiding villainy. 1t is ulatter for consideration
when the authorities are amending the laws how
far they will permit so-called journalism
to compete in the winning OF the
right" as the London correspondent OF the ob,
scure Reading Observer (which Mr. Stead
ouotes), "of claiming that ne has created the
greatest sensation of modern journalism" There
are. for example, several sexual and unnatural
crimes which the Pail Mall has not dealt with
Mr.. Stead has up to the present wisely alb
stained from exploiting all the sins of Sodom and
Gomcrrah. But supposing some other journal
ist comes along with mission to take up this
other phase of the "infernal story" who is to
stop hint Where is the line to be drawn9
JOSEPH HATToN.