The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-10-25
RANDOM SHOTS.

Ne,OS Determined not to be outdone by the
ministers Mr.. Brimelow confided his views of
American journalism to the reporter of local
daily paper. Mr.. Brimeow sums up Amerl-
can journalism and compares it with the Eng
lish article In true British, bull-dogmatic
fashion, as follows:
american journalism is smart, really
clever, and intensely amusing to an English
Journalist. But 1t would not be tolerated for
day In the old country. Mr. Gordon Ben
nett's experiences with the London Ne,D York
Herald have fully convinced him of that"
One inference fairly deducble from Mr.
Brimelow's dictum is that the British public
would resent journalism that was 'smart and
really clever" One has only to look at the
English journals--they are not neps papers in
the American sense at ALTO understand why
Mr. Brimelow holds this view An American
newspaper man finds the English journals and
Journalism anything but amusing. They are
insufferably dull, Incredibly stupid, and pom
derously didactic; and l have no doubt but
the Bolton Evening Nc,cs is typical English
journal.
But that the British public would not relish
newspaper Of the true American type Is not
established by the fate OF Mr.. Benefits ex-
periences with the London Ne,U York Herald
The trouble with that paper was that it was
distinctively American nor English. All that
1t had Of the NeW York Herald was the
name. In all else 1t was an English journal
and not good one at that 1t wholly missed
the characteristics Of the American news
paper In tone, style, and appearance. 1t
looked like an English paper. Its dress was
English, its makeup was English, its tone
was English Yet 1t was sufficiently un-
English to disclose that it was only an imita-
tion and not the real article at all. 1t repelled
those who were used to the American news
paper, while it failed to attract those who
were used only to the dreary English article
or course, 1t failed.
have been told by an American newspaper
man, who at one time held an important place
on the London New York Herald, that when
Mr.. Bennett set about that enterprise he Or
dered the NeW York Herald duplicated in
dress and makeup. Instead of doing that,
his agent at London bought an English dress
because type was cheaper in England than in
this country. Then In little time the Ameri-
can newspaper men were dispensed with and
their places filled with English journalists
because the latter were cheaper. Mr.. Bennett,
who might have compelled success had he
given his attention to the enterprise, detests
London and would not reside there and give
the paper his personal attention All these
causes made failure inevitable 1t is possible
Of course that an American newspaper could
not live in England, but do not like to think
OF tho great British public as so grossly stupid
as that would prove them to be-
x*
There has been shaking up of the dry
bones In the Associa ted Press. The process
began when Colonel Elliott F. Shepherd was
some months ago placed on the managing
committee in lieu Of Mr.. Charles A. Dana.
Colonel Shepherd began overhauling the con-
tracts OF the Associated Press and soon found
one between that organization and the United
Press which was suspicious. Further inquiry
developed that certain members and officers
OF the Associated Press were pro6ting by an
arrangement from which the others were de-
barred. Colonel Shepherd is not the man to
suffer In silence. He made loud outcry.
The result is seen in the announced with
drawal of the New York Sun and Tribune
from the Associated Press and the organiza-
ZION OF new press association under the
name OF National, and the withdrawal of the
United Press from the arrangement with the
old Associated and its affiliation with the new
National. 1t appears that the manager and
director OF the United Press profited on the
one hand and certain members of the Asso-
ciated Press on the other by the surreptitous
deal between them. The latter secured, In
their own names 1T Is said, certain interests In
the United Press which paid rich dividends,
some IL or 10 per cent. 1t is alleged that in
securing these interests they acted toward the
Associated Press, whose interests they had
been selected to guard as did the man who
aimed his gun SO as to nit IL 1T were deer
and miss If 1t were a calf. That is, if the in
IerteIs proven valuable Jney were TO be re-
garded as private property; IL they proved
worthless they were to be considered as AS
sociated Press investments. In short, it was
beautiful bunko game.
And TO think that Charles Asteroid Dana
should be mixed up in such a shady transac-
ton For twenty years he has posed as the
selfappointed censor of public and private
morals He had come to be regarded as the
Cato OF the press He pursued offenders,
particularly if they differed with him in
politics, with severity that paused not at
the grave, and that would in any other have
been regarded as vindictive. He made 1t ap-
pear that he was actuated only by lofty
sense of duty.
man, prosperous man and a leading citi-
zen, went into Mr.. Leisenring's news exchange
on Newspaper Row not long ago and asked
him for five copies Of the New York Herald
OF certain date. Not having them in stock
Mr. Lelsenring sent to the New York Office
Tor them. When they came he sent them to
person who ordered them. Later that gentle
man came in and laid down ten cents In pay
ment. Mr. Leisenring told him his charge
was twenty cents, four cents copy, his regu-
lar price, though, as he explained, these par
Ileular nVe copies being back numbers, had
that he would pay but ten cents. 1t was ex-
planned to him that the papers had cost three
cents each, and that with postage and an en-
yelope and sheet of paper the total cost to the
merchant was seventeen or eighteen cents
In short. Mr. I,eiaanrino XUaS 70 1atfI