The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
AN AUTHOR ON NEWSPAPERS.
Anthony Hope ON interviewing, Libel
and Criticism.
London News.

LONDON news.
Under the Craftsmanship of Mr.. John Cor
Club and guests dined together at their
seventeenth annual banquet The toast of
1.-The Visitors" proposed by Mr. Spencer
Hughes, was responded to by Mr.. Anthony
Hope Hawkins.
MIR. Hawkins said it was an easy task TO
praise the British press, but he was not
particularly given to beating the British
drum. Wherever one went throughout the
world one found generous appreciation
of the temperance of the British press and
the absence of personalities. There was,
however, the interview, which was some
times calculated to produce extraordinary
results, but we should be sorry to be en-
tirely without it. Principally it was said
to be used as a means of what might be
called kite-fiying. They had heard OF one
who had never received proofs Of an inter-
view. The moral he would leave them to
infer. There were cases where the gentle
man interviewed never SAD awning OF
where he had said something of the kind.
but was entirely misrepresented, and there
were cases where the interview never oc-
Cured at all-and he believed the latter was
the most common. There was a case of a
friend of his who read his interview in
print where he was described as a man
with well-developed aquiline features and
where something was said on foreign pol
icy. He asked to see the shorthand notes,
and when he saw those shorthand notes
written on what he believed was called
"fiimsy," he saw that what he had said
was perfectly correct. but that what what, nag
Since then he had never asked to see the
shorthand notes
With regard to the law of libel he hest
tated to express an opinion on the subject
in a company of experts but it seemed to
him there was much necessity for amending
the law for the prevention OF frivolous and
Matchmaking actions. Pains should how
ever. be taken to see that there was no
weakening of the effective part of that law
Firm administration of the law of libel was
necessary. AS soon as you weakened re-
sponsiblity you weakened the power. What
was said in the press was listened to be-
cause people knew that the press spoke I'M
der a sense of responsibility and might be
called to account. 1t might be thoughth ii
was imprudent in return for their hospital
ity to address them in that way, but view
ing them as comrades of the pen, he hoped
he was entitled to speak with candor and
freedom He wished TO thank the pressmen
heartily for what might be called on the
whole. the extreme care, the extreme at
tention and discrimination with which they
dealt with that part of their work which
they called criticism. For those who, as
landmarks of literature. wrote stories to
amuse an idle hour, he might say it was in
the power of the press to give the young
writer q good start or to prevent him from
having fair show. He knew cases where
young writer's had derived from the review
new power to persevere in the career which
they had chosen. No one should criticise
unless he could praise and if he could
praise. it would be a pleasant reflection that
he had not only done good. but in a singu-
lar degree had given assistance and en-
coura cement