New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-23
INDICATING THE PRESS.
bility.

There seems 10 I've an Inclination 10 ''iI' Il "ii'
IN the indiscriminate campaign not against INC
sensational or slanderous or dsrepuiahle h""H
narcrs but against the press. II i UIhe Nl''c
was Even worm, we are iold VIII '"I"
when trod upon. The press Is not yet pul'
a worm but il has been trod upon sunl'i'huy
70 rouse the resent nent Of the most hhJ'''
crawlor that ever wrIGgled IN tn" dust FROM
,ho dov ~ us foundation Il has been deemed
fitting butt for all denunciaiion ana abuse YET
Mold ia the strictcst accountability for lis own
utteranccs Nothing IS much more common
than libel suits against newspapers N"ihlhS -
much more rare than newspaper sui against
It's libcllcr Yet I'm simple justice the inter
might we'll be the more common. Tor III respect
Of defamation the press Is more ginned against
than SHINING For n responsible newspaper 10
utter a libel, mnciously or with criinlhal care
lcssless is most unusual. But how frequently
do iudyiduIls thus malign the press. y man
does not hesitate 10 dcnouncc the most cs
teernod and reputable newspapcr ms har' ois
honest. subsidized, or what not. when US only
fault Is m honest difference Of opinion or m
equally honest statement of facts diuerng from
what he surposcs to he the facts.
Two noteworthy example, In point have JUST
come M IN England one Is furnished 10y Inc
Pail Mall Gazette" 1t VIII be remembered mat
Mr. Hoolcy, tho sLcculaior wheE he became
bankrupt the other day. charged that his ruin
had been largely caused by newspaper hlnck-
mail He had been compelled 10 pay vast suiDs
TO the press 10 avert It's dcstruciiy" bosullty 10
his enterprises and thcr" were dark hlh's 'hat
many Of the foremost London papers were III
yolvcd in The scandal. For time MT liooiey
mentioned no names. But at length II came ont
that Tile Fail Mall Gazette" was one OF the
offenders The charge might have been dis
missed with a SMILE for the reputation OF tha'
noncr was above all such suspicion and IN"
character md fortune Of It's proprietor made
,bo euocc.tIop. II directed against him, seem
simply grotesque. But for the sake or the press
NJ LARGE. If not OF itself "Thc Gazette took the
matter up vigorously and placed 1t IN the hhnds
Of one Of The foremost lawyers in London for in
vcstigaticn and prosecution.
II oppcars that n member OF the staff Of
"'rhc ,;nzeiic" now deceased did take money
from Mr. Iloolcy. or In Mr. llooleys interest.
That was most dl'crcditabe ihing 10 do'
which not even dclcacy In speaking OF me d'ad
can save from stern rcprobation IN" gnil'y
man married MS own reputation ana diSh"iore"
his profession But he seems 10 have been en-
tirclv alone I'm his fault, acting on his own re-
spon,ibility and for his own profit AMI not Tor
that of the paper; and. moreover ana thlN Is the
salient feature Of the casc-"1h" Gazette
charges and Is apparently prepared 10 prove
that the unhappy man did not approach MT.
IIoolcy but WAS himself approached III Mr..
Ioolcy'S behalf; that he was. In BRIEF not
blackmailcr. but brbc-takcr. We have no de-
sire 10 PREJUDICE the case. The truth VIII pres
entity come out. But il must be- said that prob
ability is on the side of "'rhr Gazettc's conten-
ton Attempts to bride or otherwise undrly in
fucncc the press arc much more frequent than
attempts OF the press to levy backmnil.
The other case is that Of ''rhc London Globe.
That paper, an old and respectable Journal Is
an ardent champion Of British imperialism,
and naturally took the side of Mr. Rhodes ana
the British element I'm South Africa against
Mr.. Kriger and the Doors. 1t thus incurred
the cnmity Of the latter and their Little Eng
lander friends in London. ana was accused
of having been brIbcd or subsidized or prr-
chased to support certain business enterprises
of the British Such charges are often made
AGAINST papers aud ignored. But the proprietor
NJ ..Thc Globe" did not ignore these. lie took
,hcm up promptly, began an action for libel,
ylndcatcd the integrity Of his paper and Sc
cured n Just verdict for n round sum OF
damages.
In pursuing these courses these two London
miners have made ali hcnes; journals the world
over their debtors. Their example may not he
widely followed though 1t might be, now ana
then. 10 advantage The chnnccs are that there
will not. mt least In London, be so much need rs
hitherto for such action. Men viii b. somewhat
more careful In their charges against the press,
,,J ,oss rrono IN consider n a dog which any
stick Is good enough TO beat. That there ar" dis'
honest newspapers Is not to be denied. There
are dishonest houses in every business and dis
honest men in every profession. But the dis
honest ones are n minority. What the world
must recognize, and what these two cases will