The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-04
ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS.
eeCuliarities of the London Journals-The
Standing of Journalists.


Dvening and 375 are weekly.
English journalism is wholly unlike that of
any other people, and is essentially different
from that of the American press. The daily pa
per contains not only the news OF the world IN
Its larger aspects but also with each issue gives
the public somewhat critical, and always ex-
pressed in scholarly and literary language, re-
view Of the news it contains. London, and in
aeed the English provinces, have not only got
kheir political journals, but their society," their
comic and their technical papers. A London
journal seldom takes notice of any current local
svent unless in some way it relates to the gen.
Aral interests of the community or to the
larger interests of the nation or the world.
And under no circumstances does rep
ntable London or provincial paper refer
10 individuals unless they are in some wise in
public life The personal, domestic and bust
ness affairs of the individual never traversed
sr discussed in the daily press. and even the
iety journals of England make reference in
their columns to idividuals only when they are
either distinguished or notorious Indeed, Cos
siping upon the affairs of individuals is deemed
vulgar and under bred in the columns of news
paper, just as it would be deemed vulgar and
1nder-bred in the drawing-room of gentle
man. No daily paper in England. hoping to
command general respect of the community,
Or having any sense of its own interest, would
make the remotest reference to the personal or
domestic affairs of any public man in Great
Britain unless they were In some way related to
his public administration. Whenever any jour-
nal has ventured upon such an enterprise OF in
reference it has received the general condemna-
tiOn of society.
The most influential, the most literary and
upon the whole the most elaborate daily paper
In the world, is the London Times. usually
known as the 'Thunderer" The news of the
world, and of the whole world, is given in the
columns of the London Times, every morning,
at a cost far exceeding, as is generally supposed,
In amount that which any other paper pays for
news. Other journals are given to spasms OF
enterprise and frequently have news in advance
of the Times; but it has been the policy of this
potential journal only to publish such matter
as it can verify. 1t has never been its custom to
publish as news one morning that which it may
qualify the next and be compelled to wholly
deny the third. The reading matter of the
Times is always varied fresh. opportune and
interesting. It's reviews and its dramatic and
musical criticisms are always upon high plane,
and are written in the most expressive and
academic English The Times has been accused
of being the echo OF popular opinion and the
organ of the dominant party Under the guild
ance and management of Mr.. Deaine its policy
was to lead, and when it could not lead, then
vigorously to follow. The editorial and the
special articles in the columns of the "Thun
aerer" are written with care, a precision and
an elevation of tone and style which might mark
the most serious and thorough work of the lead
ing literary reviews of the great capitals of the
world. The Times is printed on very heavy and
beautifully finished paper, and its makeup IS
handsome and almost geographically faultless
A constant reader of this journal must be, in
the best sense of the word eonventonally
well-read man.. The Times claims to be abso-
lutely independent in its treatment of all sub
iects. political, diplomatic, foreign and domestic.
tits the only paper in England that maintains
its old time price of 3d. The editorials of the
Times would in America be deemed rather
heavy reading Their style is conventional,
stately and measured, In all things it repre-
sents the highest classes, the soberest opinion,
and the most responsible journalism of Great
Britain. 1t is the largest daily paper published
In the world.
During the past five years the Standard,
which is both morning and an evening paper,
has made rapid strides in enterprise and achieve
ments. Frequently its volume of news is larger
than that of the Times and it spares no re-
sources of provision money to bring to its
columns, every morning, all that is transpiring
of significance in the world. It's make up is
very similar to that of its more illustrious con-
temporary, and it is at present conspicuously
markable for the brilliant writing of its editorial
columns. 1t probably has the largest and most
accomplished corps of editorial writer's of any
paper in the world. There is to be found no.
where in contemporary literature more intelli-
gent, illustrative, picturesque and profound
writings than in the leaders of the Morning
Standard. Indeed il may be said that the ed
itorials of this paper are to-day almost the cri
terion of the English language. 1t would be
next to impossible ever to find in its editorial
columns i'll constructed, involved, inexpres-
Give or infelicitous sentence. 1t speaks we'll
for the intellectual training and culture of the
English metropolis when it can be said that this
paper has a daily circulation of more than a
quarter of a million
The Daily Telegraph is pre- eminently the or
gan of the middle classes of London and of the
Metropolitan district 1t has less foreign news
and more local news than any of its contempo-
raries. 1t is the advertising medium of the shop
keepers and small tradesmen. 1t deals in
larger way with smaller matters, and with more
sensation and takingness than is the wont of En-
glish journals. The policy and tone of the Tele-
graph determined in wise by its editor in
chief, but wholly by the proprietor. 1t has been
money making enterprise almost from the be-
ginning, and CT late years has been the most
profitable newspaper property in the world The
statement that the proprietor and not the editor
guides the policy of the paper is made quite APP
parent when it is known that the editor-in chief
Of the Telegraph is Mr.. Edwin Arnold, the orr
entail traveller and scholar, and who is the author
of one of the most ideal and one of the most
truly immortal poems of this century, namely,
''Fhe Light of Asia" Mr.. Arnold's own writing
is always sedate, careful, sensible and beautiful;
but much of the writing of the editors is far be-
low the uniform quality of either the Times or
the Standard. The Telegraph makes strong
feature of it's dramatic and musical criticisms
Mr. Clement Scott, the editor of the Theatre,
presides over this department of the paper, and,
all in ALL it is easy to maintain that Mr. Clement
Scott is the most capable and accomplished dra-
matte critic now writing for the press. His
judgments are always unbiased by any consider.
alton of friendship prejudgment; his esti-
mates are trusty; his requirements and expert
ence are almost without measure, and his
facility of expression is almost an inspiration
The Daily News is the Liberal party, and, per-
haps. it might be said the organ of the more mod
crate section of the Liberal party. The other
great morning papers of London have far out
stripped the News in almost every element of
worth and merit its information is only toler-
able its p0tices and criticisms of current events
are usually commonplace. and its editorial writ
ing, for an English paper, is immature and some
times nnsitiyelv amateurish IL has had ifs ms