New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-03
Mr.. EDMUND YATES.
1,,s DEATH-INCIDENTS OF HIS CAREER
"THE WORLD" AND ITS INFLUENCE
ON ENGLISH JOURNALISM.
London. May q.

that even II he had been an unknown man. no
nassing away must have attracted attention. ii7
was struck with paralysis. or perhaps apop'eNE'
4, tho stalls Of the Garrick Theatre. on the first
night Of the reproduction OF Money Inc p''y
u,as over the audience were departing; he stil
sat in his seat when the blow came ana he zen.
all hut ufeess. In few hours ne was dead.
imagine 1t may have been the kind OF endihg ne
would have preferred The curtain had rung
aonr if was as fitting conclusion to the COM
edv NJ life as any other;-most 1T Of all for one
who WAS the son Of an actor and actress ana all
his life long had kept up an intimate acquain'-
ance with the stage, before and behind the Ioo'-
lights.
Mr. Yates had qualities which endeared him to
his friends: Of whom he could count many. lie
was for many years well-known figure IN some
circles in London,-literary theatrical proles-
sonal. and others One of his eulog'sts spedNS
of him as a man Of society, and So IN a sense
he was but not in the sense in whch ms CIV"
journal. devoted largely 20 the dongs OF So
cety in its more exclusive meaning Worid nave
used the word. That matters nothing what
matters 10 the public he leaves behind him. oo'h
in England and in America. was the pecu'''r
work he did and the peculiar influence ne hau'
He was a dramatic critic, but that was not IN
his time or from his point OF view d KIM vi
work which left deep mark He was noNeHs'
but none Of his novels have lived. lie wrote
much for magazines and some tribes lor 'he
stage II he had done nothing else he would
have passed away unnoticed. His early WORK III
journalism was miscellaneous, work in jour-
naism commonly u.s. and ephemeral lie hau
been. among other things. special correspondent
hut his ambition never led him into those fields
which the extraordinary abilities and courage OF
q Russell or Forbes illuminated, nor will he be
remembered. as they WILL for distinguished ser
vices in time Of
He found his true career some twenty years
ago; then about forty years Of age and in the full
ness Of his strength. Then it was that ne
founded the society journal known as The
World" He had the instinct which led MN 10
do the right thing-right. mean for his own
purposes and from his own standpoint-at the
right time. Society had for some years before
that been undergoing that process OF democratic
cation which enlarged its borders and quintup'ed
its numbers II 1t had an oracle it was "Ihe
Morning Post" which was an oracle to the same
extent that an almanac is an astronomer
treatise or a catalogue Of books contribution
10 literature. II gave certain dates ana names
and facts: the arrival and departure Of persons
of consequence. or persons who thought they
might become Of consequence by investing a
book TO the upper classes. 1t announced parties.
and printed lists Of those who had been present
at the parties and at dinners. II did. and con-
t,nues 10 do. much convenient. If humble. WORK
Of this kind. and ii had almost a monopoly Of
such intelligence.
Mr.. Yates conceived broader scheme. lie
perceived that there nothing the British pup
lie liked more 10 read about than that very
society from which. as a public. they were eX-
Guided He perceived also that the ornaments
OF society rather liked 10 be read about. Roy
alty and Aristocracy were. or could be made IN
exhaustible topics. The task demanded free yet
discreet handling, novelty in method, and frank
admission Of the aims 10 be pursued Il the
aims were not very exalted. that. perhaps. was
as much the fault Of society as Of its new chron-
tcler. He set forth his purpose In prospectus
written with great skill. II was. think his
beet literary performance. unless a certain piece
~ ,nvective. as vigorous as 1t was coarse ana
roarci,ess. on Mr. Robert Buchanan may dispute
The claim, to being Mr. Yates's masterpiece
rroro the beginning The World" was sue
cess whether success financially at first, do not
know. but In any case. financial success came
very soon. He had as coadjutors Mr.. Grenville
Murray a social outcast Of brilliant writing
mowers and Mr.. Labouchere, for whom no des-
cr,ntion was or is adequate. except at much
length and in a spirit Of frankness Whlch LOT
one do not care to practise Mr.. Labouchere wrote
the money article for which he was very conpe-
tent 1t was, l think. Mr.. Yates's intention 70
keen clear Of scandal at least in an acuonaole
form. and 1t was some years before the mistake
Of a paid and titled contributor sent him 70
Holloway Jail for four months on sentence
for criminal libel. Thereafter, and perhaps be-
fore, the proofs used to be read weekly peio:e
publication by an eminent criminal lawyer.
Mr. Yates knew very we'll what his own social
rosition was and he had the good sense to IN
derstand that neither he nor any one journalist
or one ANYBODY, could cover the ground which
such a paper as his was meant to occupy. lie
enlisted contributors from very various ranks
IT came TO be known that for any paragraph con-
tanning information about the social life OF people
in a recognized rank. half-crowns or half-sover'
eigns or larger sums. would be forthcoming.
There are always people in all ranks In want OF
money and that Mr.. Yates knew. He came
directly or indirectly into relation with these
people The post brought him every morning
full bag He had,-at least he was believed 10
bave-one or more regular contributors about
the Court--it must have been more than one
since there is a frequent change among lords
and ladies' in waiting and the regular official
was less likely than they TO take what was al
first thought the risk Of supplying this particu
lar kind of news. He had regular but think
largely also irregular contributors among men
and especially among women. whose position
made their news useful-pcople who really were
asked, and did not have to pretend they were
asked, to dinners ard parties and balls If. ir
addition 10 these. some of his sources of intell
gence had not an intimate acquaintance with
the pantry and the servants hall, he and they
were much belied He had much the same
method with the two Services. the Army and
Navy as with society. The Church supplied hin
with another special topic Politics, the Drama
Literature. the Turf. each had Its particular
department and its own chief. All were treated
rather more lightly than In the daily paper. Th'