The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-23


ment of news which justi6es this verdict.
But these offensive characteristics are ex-
actly what the British public demands.
Stolid in his temperament and lacking in
those mental graces which form the chief
charm of his neighbors across the chan
mel the Engiishman has no relish for
''triviality' in the discussion of passing
events. He resents any approach to hui
NOR in leading articles; he despises any
thing like library establishment in the
narration of facts. He wants nothing but
the dry bones of news, and he gets what he
wants. The English newspaper is but a
reflex of British character-slow, solid
and dull.
1t would seem therefore a simple task to
run an English journal, but such is not the
case. Slow, solid and dull as he is, the
Englishman has shrewd eye to the main
chance There are too many of him for
the narrow bounds of his little island He
has to cast around for an outlet for the re-
suits of his Flooding industry. His eyes
look greedily for new territory in which to
trade, and as a colonizer, an eager as
pirant for profitable investments in other
lands, he has no equal in the world. As a
result of his grasping- spirit he has many
enemies and few friends in the family of
nations. He has to be continually on the
alert to avoid attacks on his rights" He
sleeps with one eye open so as to be ready
to repel any encrsachments on his vested
interests in international commerce.
France, Germany, Russia and even little
Portugal are regarded as jealous rivals,
and on the affairs of each he keeps a watch
full eye Consequently his newspaper must
keep him posted as to the doings and in
tentions of foreign governments, even to
the neglect of minor, if interesting, domes-
tic events, which he has a numbering no
ton will take care of themselves.
The editor of British journal has TO
bear constantly in mind the vast ramiica-
tons of British interests in every quarter
of the globe. He stations correspondents
at the various capitals of Europe and the
western hemisphere, whose instructions
are to telegraph news of general" inter-
est, such news consisting invariably of POI
litical changes and complications. Ordi-
nary occurrences, such as crimes, accidents
and social happenings, are rarely touched,
but cabinet changes, wars and rumors of
war call forth columns Of dispatches and
load the editorial page with solemn, por
tentous articles. It is this feature of
English journalism more than anything
else that emphasizes the general dizziness
of which Americans complain. 1t de-
mands peculiar order Of editorial talent
The manager of an English newspaper
must have his finger on the pulse Of the
world; domestic affairs, except those
which infringe on the international con-
Germs Of his constituency, are of secondary
importance so long as he keeps abreast of
the political life of rival nations.
This is especially true of the London
newspapers, which evince a supreme indif-
ference to the every day affairs of the great
metropolis. With population of 5000, 900
TO cater for one would naturally expect
them to devote a page or two to local
events; but we find nothing but a few
miserable paragraphs relating to fires and
other casualties, civil and police court items
and more or less lengthy reports of the
gatherings Of charitable and benevolent
associations. Parliamentary debates, po-
litical speeches, foreign kilograms, race
meetings and the proceedings of the Stock
Exchange cover the rest of the space not
set apart for advertisements. But the
work is admirable of its kind. The reports
Of speeches are finished specimens of verba-
tim and condensed reporting; the city
article is a careful review of the financial
transactions of the day; the law reports
concise, accurate and judicial in their
tones. and the editorials models of correct
English. These editorials follow general