The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-07-07

orable remarks made about America BY
Mr.. Matthew Arnold were some pleas
ant observations on our newspapers,
written in letter to his daughter when
he was sailing for home. He said: "The
greatest relief will be to cease seeing
American newspapers. Their badness
and ignorance are beyond belief. They
are the worst feature Of life in the
United States It is somewhat COM
forting to believe that Mr.. Arnold's
sweeping and startling opinions we're
warped occasionally by violent attacks
Of insular prejudice, but his views de-
serve consideration, at least, and any
comment Of such an eminent critic cf
life and letters can hardly fail to be of
some suggestive value. The sentences
above quoted were written ten years
ago; what should we say If asked wheth.
er, since then, American newspapers have
grown better or worse? Has the influ-
ence of the American press increased or
decreased during period when 80 many
papers have joined the class which We
may Justly call sensational Does their
influence make for the public good, and
is it effective in strengthening and uni
flying our complex national life !? Such
questions must suggest themselves to
every thoughtful citizen with special
force at times like these, when the nerves
of the country are keyed to concert pitch
by the existence of a national conflict.
Any discussion of the matter is futile
without correct understanding of the
conditions and problems of modern
journalism, its practical as we'll as it's
theoretical side, and no one can be bet
ter equipped in the subject than an old
and traied journalist who has expert
enced all the phases of bis profession,
and finally attained prominence as
critic and man of letters. For this rea
son it is worth while calling attention to
an article by Mr.. George w. Smallev in
the July number of Harper's Magazine,
modestly entitled "Notes on Journal
ism." The fairness OF Mr.. Smalley's
discussion of the many sides of his SUI
ject is no less attractive than the reada-
BILE, intimate style of the paper, which
is pointed by a number of interesting
and unhackneyed anecdotes.
Mr. Smalley has much of value to say
concerning the utility Of newspaper
work as a preparatory school to the
higher literary professions and it seems
to many curious coincidence that the
same number of the magazine which
contains "Notes on Journalism" affords
several striking examples of the develop
ment and work of the best modern jour
nalists. Julian Ralph, for instance, has
risen from the reportorial ranks to a
high position as an author of fascinating
books of travel, and a story from his
pen, which intermingles fact and fancy
delightfully."-, called "A Prince of Geor-
eia," is the opening article of the July
1t is, of course, idle to con-
lecture how effective Mr. Ralph's early
newspaper training has been as factor
in his literary success. Mr.. Smalley, it
it seems, is inclined to find some truth
in the historic remark of M. Theirs,
who once observed that journalism was
q very good profession if you got out OF
it soon enough. 1t would be interest
ing to have Mr.. Ralph's own views in
the meantime, however, his work must |
speak for itself, and it is sufficient here
!, note how forcibly some of Mr..
thoughts on modern journal
ism are illustrated by the peculiarly hu.
man and realistic qualities of Mr..
Ralph's story. The sharp and quick in
'ieht character, the kneenness of wide |
awake observation, and the tendency to |
write naturally and concisely-merits !
which Mr.. Ralph undoubtedly possesses
can reasonably be set down as pro-
1ucts of habits necessarily cultivated by |
thoughtful workers in the newspaper
profession"