Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29
AFFAIRS IN LONDON
Running a Daily Newspaper on
Religious Lines,
some RATHER CURIOUS FEATURES
Recent Improvements and Their
Effect on Property Values.
THE ATRICAL NOVELTIES
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
| LONDON, December 10. 1900.
| DR.. Joseph Parker Is following in the
steps Of the Rev. c. M Sheldon this week.
He has undertaken to control the destinies
| Of the Sun, an evening journal, whose
brightness has occasionally been dimmed
| by passing clouds. The problem to be
solved by this experiment is not a new one.
| At various times and by different people
We have received assurances that reli-
gious newspaper would be acceptable to
readers in all classes of society, even If it
did not attract the man in the street.
| Mr.. Passmore Edwards, the eccentric
proprietor of the Echo, one Of the lesser
evening papers, used to favor the notion
| to some extent, inasmuch sermons in
| a nutshell, short prayers and moral re-
! Elections frequently found their way into
odd corners Of his paper. But nobody ever
discovered that the Thames was fired in
the process. or that any large revival was
! noted in connection with ecclesiastical or
| Genominational sects. In all probability
DR.. Parker will fare no better with his own
| attempt At the outset indeed he has to
| confess that the man who supposes he can
| improve the general spirit of London daily
journalism must be very young or hope
| lesSiy old"
But having long had a conviction that
| the metropolis ought to publish a distinct
lively religious paper, he is now granted an
| opportunity for putting his views in prac-
tee. Narrow minded and degrading Sec
tarianism has to be ignored as the first es-
sential to success. In place thereof he
promises sheet that will be "at once calm
and enthusiastic, full of common sense, yet
bold in the name of righteousness and free
DOM AS propounded by the new editor
the problem to be solved is very simple
one namely. whether a religious paper
| Will be laughed of court nv the dewitt
! of London cordially supported by those
| who represent its piety.
Some of the Features.
| In a community where novelties are al
ways in demand. 1t is only natural to ex-
pect boom for any new departure. A
| good many people are sure to buy the
| Sun" as matter Of curiosity, If only to
see how distinguished preacher COMFORTS
| himself In the editorial sanctum. But so
| far as can be gathered from the results
| there is nothing either striking sensa
| tional to be looked for. Company promo
| tiers occupy fair share of the space, finan
| cial notes are still observable, while side by
| side with these are articles on Pulpit and
| Press and THY Kingdom Come Lord
Rosebery is also rebuked for his connection
with the turf, though commended for his
recent utterance about the holding o. drec-
torshipS by public men. But the most note
worthy feature of the new crusade is the
amount Of space dedicated to the strenu
GUS kind o. exhortation. which is heard
in the street preaching Of the Saliva
ton Army. There can hardly be any per-
manent attraction for the newspaper reader
who looks for the latest news in series of
Death My son, if sinners entice thee, con-
sent thou not" In the same late news
space find the following Invocation over
the signature of DR.. Parker: Il call upon all
world to pray that all gambling. which is
form Of robbery, may perish out Of this
land. 1t eats like a cancer. If my paper
cannot during six experimental days exist
without panderng to the gambler, the
drunkard and the sensuaist, then let 1t
wither away. The answer Is with Christian
men and women throughout the world"
Rather Inconsistent.
This Is the temporary editors way Of in
dicating that during the present week no
racing results will be found in their ac-
customed place. AS matter of fact the
fiat racing season is over. and there is no
racing to report at present but in the
next column headed The Days Finance"
DIR. Parker not only quotes the latest stock
exchange prices and summarizes the pros
poets of two new companies advertised in
the same issue, but also embarks on the
very doubtful policy of advising "a number
Of correspondents on the wisdom or other
wise Of specializing in this, that or the
other stock exchange venture Thus one
correspondent Is told that "Denvers' are a
hopeful purchase, while another hopeful
investment "is said to be Bischof's white
lead" the prospectus Of which occupies
two columns in the advertising page. With
out discussing the difference between stock
exchange speculation and the form of
gambling associated with the turf, it GER
tainly Is decidedly risky for religious edi-
tor to rush in where mere secular editor
hesitates and start column Of tips for
the guidance of stock exchange punters.
The odd part Of it Is that one Of the COM
pany prospectuses advertised and editorial
w fnd ha no iS ha of
company in which the proprietor Of the Sun
Is Interested and which has more or less
been started by the press generally.
A Newspaper Criticism.
This moves the Westminster Gazette to
the following:
I'm the edition before us of today's Sun,
controlled by Mr.. Bottomley and edited by
DR.. Parker the principal advertisement
Is one inviting subscriptions to Mr.. Bot
tomley's new company, to which we re-
ferred Saturday, and nearly half the
financial article is devoted to commencing
this company to the favorable considera-
ton Of Spectators. DR.. Parker invites
honest counsel and criticism for his paper,
and his paper should apply honest counsel
and criticism to this company. Or such
part of today's Sun, might be embodied in
the financial article and its notice of the
Bottomley prospectus, My son, if sinners
entice thee. consent thou not; We shall
houses with spoil: Wicked men they lay
late as he that setteth snares. They set
trap; they catch men,"
Exorbitant Demands.
What with town Improvements and cleo
trio railway construction Londoners are
just getting series Of useful lessons con-
corning the value Of property. When bust
ness houses disappear bodily their owners
have an obvious right to compensation; but
uyha fun ic nj 1itt No fra-
quented church, or strip of land Is taken
from disused burial ground, one would
hardly expect the top price to be demanded.
But the rector and church wardens Of ST.
Mary Woolnoth, in Lombard street. not far
from the Bank Of England, appear to have
formed d high opinion as to the value Of
their possession. A claim for f20O.UOO has
been made for land taken by the City Rail
way Company-a sum which works out at
something like ECO foot. How they ar
rive at this total is not very material.
A station has been actually constructed
under the church and portion of the street
level built upon; but II, engineers assert,
the edifice has taken no more harm than 1t
would have done from railway in Tlubuc-
too, 1t is tolerably evident that the clerical
demand needs to be investigated,