New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-03
POLITICAL JOURNALISM
Progress Of Radical Press-Re.
tirement of Tory Editors


London, June II,
The Radical press suffered sev.,.,-
from the vicissitudes OF party da,...
during the decade ending in 1906. rb..
was the melancholy period when n.,,.
leaders were not on speaking term, a.
when the main body OF Liberal, W..
demoralized by faction feuds and div,s.,
councils respecting the Boer var a,
power and trade union policy. In tso..
depressing times II used 20 be said ,,..
what was left Of Glsdstonianism wa.
out OF society, had no successful cb,.
was without political hostesses IN srs.,
houses and had no newspapers Of gem,
Inc power and influence. After rem.,,
ing in ONCE over five years Libersn.r
has resained much Of It's impaired nr..
tige as a social and intellectual sor..
The membership Of us clubs has mas.
than doubled. II musters a large fs,..
of followers at social funtions ana 9,
press has increased in fighting eficie,-,
enterprise and popularity. The revsg
Of its social and Intellectual sctivitis,
most conspicuously displayed in the !
provement and progressive spirit Oh,
leading journals.
THE Manchester Guardian" was n.,.,
e better or more dignihed newspax.
than It u to-day. with its multiplied g..
vices. its non-partissn treatment -
news wanted by men Of All partiss f.,
well conducted departments Of art Ana
literary criticism and its consis.,,,
frank and wholly reasonable chanpo,.
ship Of Radical principles and policie,
II is this independent and powerful jor,.
nal that has made the industrial NsuA
a stronghold Of progressive Liberalism
In London. where changes ~ editorsh,o
and ownership were frequent ten yeau
ago, THE Daily News" under Mr. Card.
ner's direction. has commanded arr,
increase OF circulation as half penn
newspaper, full OF politics and noncon.
formist Radicalisn. ard The DAY.
DTDnltlF, Win III lNFAfAA DUldf "a
editor, has been equally successful In n.
larging its circle OF influence after r..
duction Of price. The Westminster Ga.
ze.te" is not cheaper than IL was de-.
ade ago. but II is more influential b.
cause its editor. Mr. Alfred Spendsr.
shares the confidence Of Cabinet minis.
tiers and il perhaps the ablest expones.
and defender Of new Liberalism on tn
press of the day.
There was time when The West.
minister Gazette" was principally noties.
able for the publication Of good nature.
political cartoons. Sir Francis Ca.
ruthers Could was trained for bushes
and the Stock Exchange and owing nl
defects in art education he has never b.
come a finished craftsman He has q,
inexhaustible fund ~ humor. which e.,
ables him 10 amuse political friends ar
foes year after year. and his caricatua
are never libels. hut invariably trutntg
representations Of situations and t,,.
denotes. There IS an exhibition Of his
work al Walkers Gallery which shows
how interchangeable a worker he is AMI
how tremendous is his output in connec.
ton with daily and pictorial Journalism.
His tapestries. fables. adaptations from
Alice in Wonderland" and Br'er Raj
bit" and cartoons are rs ingenious ~
they are entertaining. and the senta
irony and effective satire are ney.
marred by envenomed malice. His We
tins may be hit by his piercing aroVs
but they never complain ~ unfair treat.
ment and generally enjoy the privilege
II laughing az their own discontinue
The cartoons Of The Westminster 60.
zette" are as funny as ever but the n
creased influence Of the newspaper sous
mainly to another source. Mr.. Spendrs
first page articles are the best exampn
in current journalism n persuastTs
powerful writing on political questNA
These. leaders are invariably Trittent
a tone Of studied moderation and ra'
soma bleness. The argument Is drecw
toward the conversion OF the PARTISAN
the opposite camp II may not coz
nand assent. but Il produces an imp'e
sion that the Liberals have a suo-s
case and that men OF moderate opsnlo|
need not he repealed by H. Mr.. speaS'
has probably made more converts ,
Liberalism than any other writer On ~
side. Not only is he clever and pau
bic in the presentation Of party lssns
but he also writes with an air OF au's~
ity and not as the ordinary polu1A
scribes who are cropping in the darA !"
has received the cues from the Prr'
Minister. the Foreign Secretary o',l'
Chancellor OF the Exchequer. ans
knows what is going on in the CsSn''
and he is never indiscreet. but sI""s
master Of the art of lucid exposit0a
responsiveness.
The vicissitudes 81 Liberal journa~
under unpropitious conditions oe'',
ago are pdIdleitu ~ l-N A.,
upheavals in the Unionist ofioes lou.
Mr.. Fabian Ware. who received
years ago the late Lord GlenesNs
appointment as editor Of The No'A-
Post" has retired after stren.
reriod Of aggressive Toryisn. Ne
returned from The Trsnsvaal
Reformer and an imperialist OF INC ~
of Lord Miner. and he vas 0'" w..
that Mr.. Balfour was uniuly cauu
and too timid for successful lsA'' !.
He advocated with more zeal 'HaN
erection extreme protectionism ana ~.
reforms. which would revive me "a q,
resources Of Tory democracy M
four had in him a carping cr""