New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-16
ENGLISH JOURNALISM.
Mr. GREENWOOD on ITS PRESENT
POSITION AND PROSPECTS,
London. Nav 3

London, May 3.
The Lord Chief Justice of England has been
making remarks about journalism possibly with
some memory In his mind Of remarks that Jour
nalism has heretofore made about him. As
sample of Lord Coleridges views, may quote
this passage
AS the sages of Laputa kept men TO remember
for them what they were themselves too sublimely
occupied 10 recollect, so,' said his lordship our
great nation was content 70 keep and pay men to
do their thinking and concluding for them, and
adopt the thoughts of others for their own Who
were they who laid down the law for us day by
day. Where did they come from? What did
we know of their characters? Sometimes by
chance we knew an editor, and generally he was
found TO be a much poorer creature In the flesh
than In the pages OF his publication People who
quoted printed works as words OF wisdom would
often he entirely unimprcssed by the same scnti-
ments IN the mouths of their authors, delivered
personally across the dining drawing room.'
There is observes one OF these unhappy
editors, much truth in his lordships remarks.
The journalist outside his columns, shows often
diminished glory the Judge of his bench
This smart retort may serve to remind Lord Cole
ridge that, be the shortcomings of the journalist
what they may, he has one advantage of which he
But the question raised by the eminent man
who occupies tie highest judicial seat in Eng.
land save one is a question more and more often
debated inside and outside the profession Of jour
nalsm perhaps more often outside than in. The
Journalist himself seems often too intent on the
doing of his work to consider the effect Of 1t on
the public. That may be reason why the
effect of il is so great. man, not less eminent
in his way than Lord Coleridge in his, says at
times that the English press has no influence.
Another still more eminent, Mr.. Gladstone, is wont
TO observe that il is the provincial not the metro
politan press which affects, perhaps which rep
rcsents. the true public opinion OF England.
Neither proposition is stated with that geoinetrlcai
precision which makes 1T capable OF complete
demonstration or of complete mfutation sup
pose most men would, if put on oath, agree that
The press has some influence. The question Is how
much. and whether it is greater or less than 1t
used to be-
Lord Coleridge's is the criticism of an outsider.
A DISTINGUISHED insider Mr. Frederick Green
wood is of opinion that the influence OF the press
is less vigorous, less sweeping and immediate IMAM
at some periods of the present century. lie gives
q naradoxical reason There are too many papers
and the circulation of them is too great. Mr..
Greenwood doubts whether The Tines alone, IN
the DAYS of Palmerston, had not more authority,
more power over the public mind or over the
conduct and decision of affairs, than the whoie
body of the press eNerts at THIS moment Inc
papers are now numerous that thelr paoei -
more tiresome than impressive Ohe MI oi"u'
stone. one Lord Randolph Churchill, one MI IMAM
beroin always on the platform might be not only
interesting, but weighty. But what IL 'neie were
ton Of each. all a-shout every day?' 1t Is an
reason for this alleged decay OF the
influence of the English press. NO
ono Of the many important papers has tran
scerdentlv able editor. There is no Delane; no
Earncs even. or Perry. What Mr. Greenwood says
Of Dclane i, interesting; everything about Delane
is interesting:
This gentleman had not his equal IN Europe
during the whole of a long career; nor has any
one neared him since lie was not very caPaoie
writer in the literary sense, believe, put nave
s.ap letters of his fifteen or twenty lines lohs WIN
the whole pith of policy In each, 'oge'hei 49,
en- .,,rrost;.ns for its complete development.
snool, without exaggeration, but not wrhou' .
raturr Of the wonder being in the same hne Vi
business mvself) with which viewed those alhaA'
ing little papers of Instruction.
A. Crcenwood might here be asked 10 eA-
lain himself more clearly. If the power Oh
r,.,;,o tho whole faith of policy, WIN iuh
s,rcest;ops for its development. into hi'eeh VI
twenty lines be not literary power wha' 10 ~
Mr. Grenwood's theory is that-tbe power oi 'u'
nress depends in some degree on the pieSe",. -
journalism of one or two really great Jooi
Ton men. he says, of high ana equai "D,"s'
whether in the newspaper Office or III inc "AD'
are not equal to nine medlocrloes anu ohe NO"
nonius The man of genius impresses not ohiy
brpt
re raises the power of the whole machine D"'
nou though there are able, very able, editors,
,horo is in Mr.. Greenwoods opinion, no man u
oorius ike Delane Nor do / know OF ahS"ouy
,,,,o tb;nks that Delane has a living rival. lie
might have been called, and probably mas oeen
ooIed the Bismarck of the English rress' an"
no mot q not dissimilar fate at the hahos vi n,'
master There is in the high places Oh 'ni'
world. so little room for gratitude Two VI '"'.
mon might be named who are AT tnis nio"en,
editing great English papers WIN sre"V gov.
sense with Judgment, with intellectual energy
with thorough knowledge of the changing oon
ditions of the time, and teXlbihty ehous"
change with them and with other hish quan
tics essential to success in these great posts 70"
of them is to use the arrogant phrase OF hon"o'
. nroyincial editor and the number OF s'fons
mon on the provincial press Is cohsioei"o'e
Still. neither in the provinces nor In Lohuoh
there any one man of the commanding genus
Of Delane. and in the absence of any sucn n's.
Mr.. Greenwood's remark may be thought 10 ho'0
good. ,.-. In
He finds another cause Of the declining IN
auence of the press of editorial writing In .ne
press. in the platform. More meetings are helu'
there are more speakers of the first rank tney
are reported more fully. and people like reading
speeches. all hot from the lips of the most Know-
inc and distinguished politicians, better Una"
editorial remark This view seems hardly CON
sistent with that earlier suggestion about ten M
Gladstones, and it is in fact. think, very oou"'-
full whether long orations are much reau 'hos
of three or four men excepted. In LONDON ~
any rate, but one journal finds room for fuil IT,
norris. nor even in that one are all discoursess 7"
the discourses even of all politicians of Cabines