The morning call., 1894-11-05
WALTER OF THE "TlMES."

In the private Office of the late George
Jones of the New York Times there used
to hang an engraving showing the Drofiles
of the three John Walters of the London
Times. The likeness between them was
remarkable. All three had solid. common
sense, sturdy English faces-not Iemarka-
bic for brightness, but honest and open.
The first of the three, John Walter the
first, flouri:hed a century ago; the last,
John Walter the third, has just died. John
the first fulfilled his destiny by establish
ing the right of a newspaper to live In
England; John the second made the Times
the leading journal of Europe by his en-
terprise and sagacity in gathering round
him the ablest writer's Of the day and in
collecting the earliest news at any cost;
John the third added nothing TO the value
of the paper, but, on the contrary, allowed
rivals to creep ahead of it while he was
playing at politics as Tory member for
Berkshire in Parliament Thirty or forty
years ago there was practically but one
daily newspaper in London, and the value
of the Times property was not easily esti-
mated in pounds sterling Now there are
two London papers whose circulation and
income exceed that of the Thunderer of
Printing house square.
The policy of The Times under John the
second was to spare no outlay for the ac-
QUESTION of news or for the enlistment OF
ability. But it was an immutable Law that
mystery should STROUD the working of the
great estab ishment. No one knew who
wrote for the Times, who edited ii, or who
lis chief correspondents were. W1en Car
lyle, in bis life of john Sterling, disclosed
the fact, after Sterling's death, that he
had been editor of the Times, The great
newspaper affected to be disguised at the
breach of confidence. In fact the public
vas not aware OF the identity of the man
who controlled the sheet. Mr.. Walter
was a man of sense; he exercised full
control over the property of which be was
the chief owner; but he knew that be had
neither the intelligence nor the lnforma-
ton nor the tact to edit his paper, and he
committed the duty to those who were
competent. The veil of secrecy was par
TALLY lifted when John Delane became
editor. He was a club man and went into
society. Secrets were cOnfided TO him in
consequence of his position as the editor
of the Times. 1t was by reason of that
position that the private affairs of Cabinet
Ministers were always open 10 him. And
undou btedly the paper was gamer by
its departure from the old policy OF
mystery.
He remained editor under the man who
has just died. But John the third. thong b
he did not assume to be editor, took some
part in the conduct of his journal, and it
was not always a beneficial part. He was
an arch Tory. a conservative of conserva-
tives, an opponent on general principles of
great schemes of Improvements and de-
cided innovations. He was called Brit
ish Bourbon" In politics bis exemplars
were George the Third, Lord North and
Lord Castlereagh. OF course. the iuflu-
ence of such a champion of extreme con-
servative notions was bad for the paper
The Pigott forgeries were only one of the
scrapes into which he was led by his hos
tility to advanced ideas and his partisan
instinct.
When Delane died he was succeeded by
young Buckle, nephew of the great
Buckle, and lately he has made way foI
another bright man. But they have not
succeeded in lifting the Times out of the
reactionary rut into which it was led by
John the third. When great newspaper
gets set in one direction it is hard to
change its course. The new Walter who
will now take the helm is said to have pro.
gressve instincts. He may restore the
Times to its old place as the unquestione Ell
leading journal. 1t is said that he realize.
that when a newspaper stands still it be.
oip m on hapk